Netanyahu Says Iran Will Never Get Nuclear Weapons

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his first press conference on Monday night since the United States and Iran signed their agreement, focusing on Israel’s military gains against Tehran and the regional security situation. He said Israel would prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons regardless of any deal with Washington. "With an agreement or without an agreement, Iran will not have nuclear weapons. Not today and not tomorrow. As long as I am prime minister of Israel, it will not happen," he said.

Netanyahu also said Israel would keep forces in security zones for as long as necessary. "We will remain in the security belts as long as required to defend our country," he said, adding that Israel would stay in the buffer zone in Lebanon despite Iran’s wishes. He said, "The agreement was made by Trump, we have our own interests, both regarding the nuclear issue and Lebanon," and added that Israel would not allow terrorist organizations to settle on its borders, with IDF soldiers currently standing between militants and Israeli civilians.

Addressing criticism over the results of the campaign against Iran, Netanyahu said Israel had "saved Israel from destruction." He said the country had pushed back an immediate existential threat, eliminated nuclear scientists, destroyed nuclear facilities, and wiped out key parts of Iran’s missile industry. In his words, Iran had been close to an operational nuclear capability, and if Israel had not acted when it did, Iran already would have had atomic bombs, putting millions of Israelis at risk of mass death.

Netanyahu also said Israel had struck Iran’s terror arms in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Judea and Samaria. He described Hizbullah as "weaker than ever" and said Israel was stronger than ever while Iran’s "axis of evil" was weaker than ever. He closed by thanking IDF soldiers and Israeli citizens, saying, "Together we will continue to stand, and together we will continue to win."