Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a warning Sunday, calling for the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure amid signs that US-Iran negotiations are gaining momentum.
Speaking at the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) policy conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said Israel could only accept a deal that strips Tehran of any capacity to enrich uranium. Anything less, he warned, would allow Iran to bide its time, waiting for an opportunity to sprint toward nuclear weapons capability once global attention fades.
“Dismantle all of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. That is a deal we can live with,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said he has conveyed this position directly to President Donald Trump and remains in close contact with Washington. Yet signs of a growing rift are hard to ignore. Addressing reporters the same day, Trump struck a far more optimistic tone, claiming that negotiations were proceeding well and predicting a deal without the need for military action. “We’ll have something without having to start dropping bombs all over the place,” Trump said.
The indirect talks, which concluded a third round in Oman over the weekend, aim to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon while offering Tehran relief from crushing US-led sanctions. A fourth round is expected in the coming days.
Still, Israeli officials fear the US is racing toward what Jerusalem views as a “bad deal.” Reports indicate that Israel was informed of the renewed talks only hours before Trump made them public — and key Israeli demands appear to be sidelined at the negotiating table.
Netanyahu insisted that the only acceptable model is one resembling Libya’s 2003 agreement, in which the country fully dismantled both its military and civilian nuclear programs. Anything short of that, he warned, would be a fatal mistake.
Adding to Israel’s unease, American officials have sent mixed signals. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff initially suggested limiting Iran’s uranium enrichment, rather than eliminating it — before hurriedly walking back the statement under pressure. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later clarified that Iran could maintain a civilian nuclear program but only if it imported enriched uranium, as other nations do.
Tehran continues to accelerate production of highly enriched uranium — inching dangerously close to weapons-grade levels — and develops its ballistic missile arsenal unabated. Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted that the right to enrich uranium is “non-negotiable.”
Behind the scenes, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer has reportedly pressed US officials to consider deploying “bunker buster” bombs against Iran’s fortified nuclear sites if diplomacy fails. Trump, for his part, told Time magazine that while he would prefer a deal over conflict, he would not hesitate to lead a military strike if talks collapse: “If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack.”
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One Response
Republicans helped North Korea go nuclear and are now doing the same with Iran. Republicans want to destroy global liberalism including the Zionist state. Torah Jews support this because they worship Republicans.