Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has declared that the conflict with Iran cannot be regarded as fully concluded until Tehran’s stockpile of enriched uranium is removed and its nuclear enrichment facilities are dismantled.
Speaking during an interview on the CBS programme 60 Minutes aired on Sunday, Netanyahu maintained that Iran’s nuclear capabilities remain a serious concern despite recent claims by United States President, Donald Trump, that Tehran had already suffered a major military setback.
According to the Israeli leader, the continued existence of enriched uranium inside Iran means the core objective of the military campaign has not yet been achieved.
“There is still enriched uranium in Iran that must be taken away, and there are still enrichment facilities that need to be dismantled,” Netanyahu said during the interview.
When asked how such materials could be removed, he responded bluntly that they could simply be taken out directly, though he avoided giving details about any possible military operation.
Netanyahu revealed that Trump also shared concerns over Iran’s uranium reserves, noting that the US president had expressed interest in ensuring the issue was fully addressed.
However, the Israeli prime minister stopped short of discussing operational strategies or timelines.
His remarks come at a time when Washington is facing mounting pressure to scale back the conflict.
Incomplete Mission
While Netanyahu argued that the mission remains incomplete, Trump struck a far more confident tone in a separate interview aired the same day.
Trump stated that Iran had already been “militarily defeated” and insisted the United States could move against the uranium stockpile whenever necessary.
According to him, American surveillance capabilities would ensure that any movement around the nuclear sites would immediately be detected.
Despite his hardline comments, Netanyahu suggested that a diplomatic arrangement would still be the preferred route for dealing with Iran’s nuclear material.
He explained that an agreement allowing international access to remove the uranium would be the most effective outcome, rather than relying solely on military force.
The Israeli leader also used the interview to outline broader concerns beyond Iran’s nuclear programme.
He pointed to Tehran’s support for regional armed groups and its ballistic missile development efforts as continuing threats.
Netanyahu said Israel had weakened some of those capabilities but stressed that more work remained to be done.
He further alleged that China had provided a degree of assistance to Iran, particularly in the area of missile production, although he declined to provide additional specifics.
Regional Security
On regional security, Netanyahu argued that the collapse of Iran’s current leadership could dramatically weaken organisations backed by Tehran, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.
According to him, those groups depend heavily on Iranian support networks and could struggle to survive if the government in Tehran were to fall.
However, he acknowledged that such an outcome was far from certain.
In another notable comment during the interview, Netanyahu signalled Israel’s intention to gradually reduce its dependence on American military aid.
Israel currently receives billions of dollars annually in defence support from Washington, but the prime minister said he had informed Trump that he wanted Israel to eventually phase out the financial assistance.
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He suggested the transition could happen gradually over the next decade while preserving the strong strategic relationship between both countries.