Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated in an exclusive Al Jazeera interview that Somalia will not accept any Israeli presence in the country, accusing Israel of planning to establish a naval base in Berbera and use the city's airport. Mohamud added that Israel's real aim is to get closer to the Gulf states and Iran. Berbera is a port city in Somaliland, a self-declared republic in northwestern Somalia that Israel recognized last year, a move condemned by Mogadishu. Mohamud described Israel as a "destabilizing force" that does not abide by international law and criticized its recognition of Somaliland.