In this file photo taken on February 16, 2016, German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak at a press conference at the Chancellery in Berlin after a sixth joint German-Israeli cabinet meeting. (AFP photo)
JERUSALEM, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed Monday for Europe in an effort to persuade main allies to support his call for changing the Iran nuclear deal and removing Iran out of Syria.
His first stop is Berlin, where he will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel later on Monday. On Tuesday he will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, and on Wednesday with British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Before his departure, he said Iran will be on the focus of his agenda. He voiced optimism about gaining support for his long-time campaign against the nuclear deal and repeated not to allow Iran establish a military foothold in neighboring Syria.
Referring to a possible change or even cancellation of the nuclear deal, Netanyahu said, "it could be that there is not full agreement on this at the moment, but in my opinion, such an understanding will take shape."
Netanyahu confronted with former U.S. President Barack Obama in his unsuccessful efforts to block the landmark agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program. The deal was signed between Iran and six world powers in 2015, but Netanyahu recently found a new ally with U.S. President Donald Trump, who withdrew the United States from the deal in May.
Netanyahu said he hopes to form with Israel's European allies "an agreed-upon policy" about halting Iran's entrenchment in Syria.
He reiterated his stand that there is a need to block "Iran's aggression in the region, especially its attempts to establish a military presence against us in Syria and attack us from there."
Israel has reportedly carried out a series of deadly air attacks in Syria, hitting what it said were Iranian sites.
