Israel's Netanyahu praises Trump's 'historic' Iran sanctions

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Saturday hailed US leader Donald Trump for reimposing sanctions against mutual foe Iran, ahead of a fresh round of penalties set to kick in on Monday. 

"Thank you, President Trump, for this historic move. The sanctions are indeed coming," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office. 

"For years I've been calling for sanctions to be fully reimposed against Iran's murderous terrorist regime, which threatens the entire world."

Trump announced in May he was withdrawing the US from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimposing sanctions, sparking outrage among world powers who say Tehran has been complying with commitments to restrict its atomic programme.

Read more: It's time to talk about Israel's nuclear weapons

On Friday, Washington confirmed it was going ahead with a second round of sanctions set to take effect on Monday. 

Netanyahu said the effect of the first round of sanctions reintroduced in August "were already being felt".

"The riyal has plummeted, Iran's economy is depressed and the results are evident," he said. 

The European Union, France, Britain and Germany - all signatories to the 2015 deal with Iran - have condemned the US move to renew its sanctions on Iran. 

Washington says it wants a new deal with Tehran, curtailing its regional interventions and missile programme - demands which have been flatly rejected by Iran.

Israel is widely assumed to be the Middle East's only nuclear-armed state.