Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hoped Baltic state leaders would persuade the European Union to up its pressure on Iran in wake of the re-imposition of US sanctions against the country. "I unabashedly asked for the help of my friends here in correcting what I think is a distorted position, a distorted view on Israel in the EU," the Israeli premier told reporters at a news conference in Vilnius with his Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts. Netanyahu said the EU failed to "fully understand" Israeli policy on Iran, insisting that Thursdays announcement by the bloc of an initial payment 18 million euros ($20.9 million) for Tehran was "a big mistake". "Its like a poison pill to the Iranian people and to the efforts to curb Iranian aggression in the region and beyond the region," he added. "Iran attempted to conduct a terror attack on European soil just weeks ago... That is incredible.” Netanyahu was referring to a bomb plot against an Iranian opposition rally in France in late June that was thwarted by authorities. An Iranian diplomat is suspected of involvement. The EU said the funds, part of the landmark nuclear pact concluded with Tehran in 2015, was the first of a wider package of 50 million euros ($58 million) for Iran intended to help it "address key economic and social challenges". But Netanyahu urged a tough approach, hailing the renewed US sanctions on Tehran. "All countries should join the efforts to restore sanctions on Iran in order to press them to stop their aggression and desist on their terrorist activities," he said. Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the nuclear pact between world powers and Iran on May 8, reinstating Washingtons sanctions on Tehran and on companies with ties to it. Many of the EU’s bigger companies have already pulled out of Iran for fear of US penalties. Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis had earlier proposed talks between the EU and Israel on terror threats and security issues amid tensions over Iran. Speaking to AFP, he said Vilnius would push for Israels public security minister to address the EU home affairs council "over terrorism threats and other security issues". "We want the discussion to happen as it would help to seek compromise on complicated international issues," he said, without going into further detail. Netanyahu is in Vilnius for a four-day visit -- the first-ever by an Israeli premier. Lithuania backs the EU position on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The prime ministers of Latvia and Estonia joined Netanyahu and Skvernelis for talks later on Friday.