Iran dismisses Netanyahu win, says nothing will change

Iran on Wednesday dismissed Benjamin Netanyahu's election victory, saying it would have no effect on Palestinians or the Islamic world as all Israeli political parties are "the same to us".

"For us, none of the parties or political groups of the Zionist regime are any different," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham. "They all have an aggressive nature and all are the same to us and partners in atrocities against Palestinians, in plotting against Muslim nations and neglecting their rights." Netanyahu swept to a stunning triumph, securing a third straight term despite a tenure of deepening tensions with the Palestinians and shaky relations with US President Barack Obama.

Earlier this month, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Israel posed the "greatest danger" in the region, after Netanyahu made a speech to the US Congress arguing against a nuclear deal with Tehran. Netanyahu said the agreement Obama wanted with Tehran "is so bad... it paves Iran's path to the bomb" and "would spark a nuclear arms race in the most dangerous part of the planet".

Iran denies seeking atomic weapons and insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful energy production only. Iran and the P5+1 group -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany -- are in negotiations to end the crisis over Tehran's disputed nuclear activities. The two sides agreed in November to reach a political agreement by March 31 and a final deal by the end of June.

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