Netanyahu: Iran becoming a nuclear threat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Iran’s possession of nuclear weapons could pose a serious threat to the entire region. He said this in a statement to The Jerusalem Post.

According to him, after the weakening of Hezbollah, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accelerated efforts to turn enriched uranium into nuclear weapons.

“We are watching this process. They will have an atomic bomb within a year, and unlike other nuclear countries, they may actually use it. They will try to destroy us,” Netanyahu said.

He also addressed the issue of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas:

“We are doing everything we can to avoid harming them. Israel is making every effort to prevent civilian casualties, while Hamas is doing the opposite,” he said.

For context, since 1995, Netanyahu has repeatedly warned that Iran is close to acquiring nuclear weapons. However, U.S. intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have found no confirmed evidence of Iran building such weapons.

IAEA Director Rafael Grossi said: “We are not politicians. For such serious claims, we need clear facts. And we have not seen such facts.”

Starting from June 13, Israel has launched continuous attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, defense systems, senior military officials, and nuclear scientists. According to Iran’s Ministry of Health, at least 627 people have been killed in these strikes, including many civilians.

On June 22, the U.S. joined the operation, launching airstrikes on three key sites — Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Bunker-busting bombs were used in the attack. CIA Director John Ratcliffe reported that the operation had significantly damaged Iran’s nuclear program. Soon after, Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had been agreed upon and confirmed by both sides.

However, Iranian officials claimed that the damage from U.S. strikes was minimal. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated that Iran had achieved a “moral victory” over Washington and Tel Aviv.

On June 25, the Iranian parliament passed a resolution to end cooperation with the IAEA. On July 2, President Masoud Pezeshkian officially signed the law. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!