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| Israel's Netanyahu warns US against 'paving way to Iran bomb' | Israel's Netanyahu warns US against 'paving way to Iran bomb' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Israeli prime minister has warned that a deal under discussion on Iran's nuclear programme could "pave its way to the bomb", rather than block it. | The Israeli prime minister has warned that a deal under discussion on Iran's nuclear programme could "pave its way to the bomb", rather than block it. |
| In a speech to US Congress punctuated by standing ovations, Benjamin Netanyahu depicted Iran as a "threat to the entire world". | In a speech to US Congress punctuated by standing ovations, Benjamin Netanyahu depicted Iran as a "threat to the entire world". |
| Talks on Iran's nuclear programme are nearing a critical late-March deadline for an outline agreement to be reached. | Talks on Iran's nuclear programme are nearing a critical late-March deadline for an outline agreement to be reached. |
| It also comes just two weeks before a closely fought election in Israel. | It also comes just two weeks before a closely fought election in Israel. |
| Mr Netanyahu insisted that he was not trying to meddle in internal US politics. | Mr Netanyahu insisted that he was not trying to meddle in internal US politics. |
| The White House had criticised his plan to address Congress - at Republican invitation, without consulting the White House - saying the Israeli leader was trying to swell US opposition to any Iran deal. | |
| The US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and China are seeking to reach agreement to curtail Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. | The US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and China are seeking to reach agreement to curtail Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. |
| They fear Iran has ambitions to build a nuclear bomb - something Iran denies, insisting it is merely exercising its right to peaceful nuclear power. | |
| Negotiators are currently working towards a late-March deadline for an outline agreement with Iran, which would be followed by a detailed deal by the end of June. | |
| But Mr Netanyahu said: "We've been told that no deal is better than a bad deal. Well this is a bad deal, a very bad deal." | |
| 'March of conquest' | 'March of conquest' |
| Mr Netanyahu was greeted with whoops and cheers as he made his way to the podium, shaking hands as he went. | Mr Netanyahu was greeted with whoops and cheers as he made his way to the podium, shaking hands as he went. |
| The speech that followed was classic Netanyahu - mixing the politics of fear and the politics of bravery in adversity, says the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen. | |
| Mr Netanyahu insisted the Israel-US relationship "must remain above politics" and that he was "grateful for the support of the American people". | |
| But he quickly went on to the meat of his speech, saying Iran had proven time and time again that it could not be trusted. | But he quickly went on to the meat of his speech, saying Iran had proven time and time again that it could not be trusted. |
| The country was on a "march of conquest, subjugation and terror", he said. | The country was on a "march of conquest, subjugation and terror", he said. |
| "Iran's regime is as radical as ever, the ideology is deeply rooted in militant Islam... it will always be an enemy of US". | "Iran's regime is as radical as ever, the ideology is deeply rooted in militant Islam... it will always be an enemy of US". |
| Its participation in the battle against Islamic State did not make it a friend, he said: "This enemy of your enemy is your enemy." | Its participation in the battle against Islamic State did not make it a friend, he said: "This enemy of your enemy is your enemy." |
| Analysis: Kevin Connolly, BBC News, Jerusalem | |
| Benjamin Netanyahu's rivals in Israel's election face a dilemma as the applause from the speech in Washington begins to die down. | |
| It's been hugely frustrating for them to watch him walking the world stage and worse still watching the speech on television. | |
| They're the kind of television images you can't buy in an election campaign - the Houses of Congress rising repeatedly in standing ovations. | |
| But if they repeat their warnings that Mr Netanyahu is endangering Israeli security by alienating the White House they risk protracting a story which has played to the prime minister's advantage. | |
| Many of them, like the opposition leader Yitzhak Herzog, feel they're just as tough on Iran as Mr Netanyahu - they just don't have access to the world stage as he does. | |
| Mr Netanyahu's Likud party is already asking voters if they can imagine any other Israeli politician making such a speech. | |
| The opposition want to start talking instead about the cost of living and the other issues where they feel they have an advantage - they just hope images of Mr Netanyahu basking in a warm bath of applause fade before polling day in two weeks' time. | |
| Mr Netanyahu went on to criticise the likely contours of the deal currently being negotiated in Switzerland. | Mr Netanyahu went on to criticise the likely contours of the deal currently being negotiated in Switzerland. |
| He said it relied heavily on international monitoring, when Iran "plays a pretty good game of 'hide and cheat' with UN inspectors". | |
| He said it would leave in Iran with a vast nuclear infrastructure and lift restrictions on its nuclear programmes in a decade. | He said it would leave in Iran with a vast nuclear infrastructure and lift restrictions on its nuclear programmes in a decade. |
| "This deal doesn't block Iran's path to the bomb, it paves Iran's path to the bomb," Mr Netanyahu said, claiming Iran could have 100 nuclear bombs within five years. | |