Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave the keynote address at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual conference on Tuesday in Washington DC, lauding President Trump for his December 6th recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, while warning of the growing threat posed by the Iranian regime.

"As I told President Trump yesterday, it is especially great to be in America's capital, now that he has recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital!

"Thank you President Trump, for that historic decision.

"Thank you for announcing another decision - to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem this Independence Day."

Netanyahu also boasted about Israel's military prowess, saying the IDF was stronger now than ever before, and cited US support for such projects as the Iron Dome missile defense system and the sale of US-built F-35 stealth fighters to the Israel Air Force.

"Israel has never been stronger militarily - tremendously strong! That's an F-35 fighter plane, the most advanced in the world. That's an Iron Dome missile defense system, which we developed with the help of America. Thank you, America!"

The Prime Minister said that Israel's security establishment, particularly its military intelligence services, had played a major role in foiling "dozens of terror attacks" around the world, targeting various countries across the globe.

"In the last few years, Israel's incredible intelligence services have foiled dozens, dozens of major terrorist attacks across the world in dozens of countries."

"A plane could have been blown out of the sky [as it] headed from Australia to the Persian Gulf, if it weren't for Israeli intelligence," said Netanyahu, referencing the revelation February that an Israeli unit had helped thwart an ISIS attack on an Australian airliner.

Netanyahu later turned to Iran's efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon, as well as Tehran's growing influence across the Middle East.

"The bad news is that bad things are getting worse, and they're very bad. We have to deal with this challenge - and I'm thinking specifically about what do we do about Iran.

"The force behind so much of what is bad is this radical tyranny in Tehran. If I have one message for you today, it’s a very simple one. We must stop Iran. We will stop Iran.

“When I last spoke here I warned the world about a nuclear deal that was a threat to the survival of Israel, the security of the region, the peace of the world. I warned that Iran’s regime had repeatedly lied to the international community, that it could not be trusted. I warned that the deal gives Iran a clear path towards developing a nuclear arsenal in little more than a decade.

“Here is what Iran is doing today…darkness is descending on our region. Iran is building an aggressive empire. Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen – more to come.

“We will never let Iran develop nuclear weapons. Not now, not in 10 years, not ever.”

The Prime Minister said that the US would was also committed to confronting Iranian expansion, saying the White House was prepared to challenge Tehran’s “aggression”.

“President Trump has made it clear that his administration will not accept Iran’s aggression in the region.

“He too will not accept a nuclear-armed Iran, and I salute him on this.”