Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel will never allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, stressing that numerous covert and public operations have already set Tehran’s nuclear ambitions back by nearly a decade.
This is Netanyahu’s first official comment on the matter since U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration began new talks with Iran aimed at negotiating a fresh nuclear agreement.
“As the Prime Minister has reiterated many times – Israel will not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office read.
The Israeli leader claims he has led countless operations, both “open and covert,” to thwart Iran’s nuclear progress, actions he credits with preventing the Islamic Republic from already possessing a nuclear arsenal.
While Western nations, led by the United States, remain suspicious of Iran’s intentions, suspecting it aims to develop nuclear arms, Tehran continues to insist on its right to peaceful nuclear energy for civilian use, particularly for its energy sector.
The statement comes days after U.S. and Iranian officials held first-round indirect talks in Oman—a rare diplomatic development between the two nations, which have had no formal diplomatic ties since 1980.
According to The New York Times, Trump reportedly discouraged Israel from launching a direct military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, instead urging a diplomatic approach.
Iran previously signed a landmark nuclear agreement in 2015 with the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Russia, and China. That deal limited Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanction relief. However, in 2018, Trump withdrew from the deal during his first term and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to significantly ramp up uranium enrichment—now reaching 60% purity, just below the 90% required for a nuclear weapon.
As of March 7, Trump announced he had sent a letter to Iranian authorities proposing talks aimed at preventing weaponization, even warning of military consequences should diplomacy fail.
Tehran has since responded that it rejects direct negotiations under threats, but remains open to indirect dialogue. A second round of indirect talks is scheduled for Saturday in Rome.
