Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Photo: ActualApple.com.

JNS.org — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, that the Jewish state will prevent Iran from growing its military presence and influence in the region.

In a Thursday meeting in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said Israel’s two non-negotiable objectives concerning Iran are to “prevent [it] from achieving nuclear weapons” and to stop it “from establishing itself militarily in Syria, on the ground, in the air or at sea.”

Netanyahu also noted that Israel is “determined to prevent [Iran] from bringing about the establishment of Shi’ite militias, which it is organizing, and of course, the arming of Hezbollah with dangerous weapons aimed at us.”

Despite warm relations between Israel and Russia, the latter remains a staunch supporter of embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Iran and its Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah.

At the meeting, Medvedev hailed the strong bilateral ties between Israel and Russia, noting the “special values” the countries share.

“Every time I visit Israel I feel at home,” he said. “Our countries have common challenges, primarily terrorism. Terror threatens the entire world, but in this region it is felt particularly strongly.”

Medvedev’s visit is part of bilateral exchanges marking the 25th anniversary of Russian-Israeli diplomatic relations. Earlier this year, Netanyahu and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin made separate visits to Moscow.