Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared at a press conference that the joint military campaign of Israel and the United States against Iran has prevented Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons in the coming years, thereby averting an existential threat to Israel. As the DPA agency and the Times of Israel portal recalled, Netanyahu responded to Washington’s announcement on Monday that he had concluded an agreement to end the war with Iran. At the same time, he admitted that he does not yet know the exact wording of the agreement between Tehran and Washington.
- Benjamin Netanyahu claims that a joint campaign with the US has stopped Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
- Netanyahu admits that he does not know the exact content of the new agreement between Washington and Tehran.
- The Prime Minister declares that Iran will not become a nuclear power as long as he remains in office.
- Domestic critics accuse Netanyahu of submitting to US terms for ending the war.
- Israel plans to keep troops in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria indefinitely.
According to Netanyahu, without the large-scale military operations carried out by Israel in coordination with the United States, Iran would already have nuclear bombs today and millions of Israelis would be in mortal danger. The joint operation, he said, moved that risk “many years” into the future and reduced the immediate danger to the Jewish state.
Nuclear threat
The Prime Minister of Israel emphasized that regardless of the agreement reached between the US and Iran, he will not allow Tehran to become a nuclear power. He declared that as long as he is in office, according to him, Iran will not have nuclear weapons either in the near or in the distant future.
At the same time, the Times of Israel portal pointed out that Israel was not involved in the actual negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Netanyahu admitted that he does not yet have the details of the agreement, which is to be formally signed on Friday in Switzerland, which he said complicates its assessment.
Criticism in Israel
Such developments provoked sharp criticism of Netanyahu on the domestic political scene, including from some members of the ruling coalition. Its opponents argue that Israel has adapted to the conditions set by the United States, while the same clerical regime remains in power in post-war Iran.
To questions regarding the alleged tension in relations with US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu responded that he and the American leader do not always have the same views. However, he emphasized that his priority is the protection of Israel’s security interests and that he bears political responsibility in this area.
Operations in the region
At the same time, Netanyahu said that military operations against Iran’s allies in the Middle East have not yet ended. According to him, the Israeli troops should remain in the so-called security zones in the Gaza Strip, southern Lebanon and Syria for as long as the military deems necessary.
The prime minister thereby indicated that even after the conclusion of the US-Iranian agreement, Israel does not plan to quickly withdraw its forces from key areas where it perceives the direct influence of Tehran and its allies.
