Israel has to deal with ‘evil forces’ seeking destruction of Jewish state, envoy says

Israel’s top diplomat in Australia says his country’s war on Iran is cutting off ‘the head of the snake’ in a move that will benefit the wider Middle East and the entire free world.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon. Picture: Martin Ollman

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Israel’s top diplomat in Australia says his country’s war on Iran is cutting off “the head of the snake” in a move that will benefit the wider Middle East and the entire free world.

Ambassador Amir Maimon said the Jewish state had been left with no other option but to deal with “evil forces” seeking the destruction of his country by taking out Iran’s nuclear program and its ­ballistic missile manufacturing capabilities.

He cited confirmation by the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran had enough enriched uranium to produce more than one nuclear device, and said intelligence revealed the country’s missile industry was capable of turning out 3000 missiles a day.

“It really brought us to a point that we were left without any other option. This is really the last minute,” Mr Maimon said in a briefing to journalists on Thursday.

He said Israel’s pre-emptive attack launched on Friday was being “very precise” in its targeting of Iran’s nuclear and weapons sectors, its nuclear scientists and senior military leaders.

“We are very determined, and we are going to continue in order to accomplish all the objectives that were set by our government,” the ambassador said.

Mr Maimon reminded Australians that the Iranian regime was bent on his country’s destruction and that of the United States.

“I hope that you all understand … that Iran is the head of the snake. That Iran is behind the current situation in the Middle East,” he said.

“In my view, there are no doubts that Iran will, once the war is over … be weaker; their proxies will be weaker; and I have no doubt that it will contribute to the stability of the entire region.

“It’s important to emphasise that we are now fighting against the evil forces. We are doing a great service to Europe and to the free world.”

Asked if Israel could achieve its objectives without the support of allies, Mr Maimon said: “We will continue until all our objectives (are) accomplished. We are very thankful for the United States of America. We are very thankful for the assistance that was provided to Israel by the Trump administration. And the rest is not for us to ­decide.”

The ambassador’s comments came after Iran’s envoy in Canberra, Ahmad Sadeghi, claimed on the ABC’s 7.30 program that his country was “not yet” working towards nuclear armament, before ruling out such aspirations.

“Iran declared quite a few times that it does not have any nuclear program in terms of military aspects,” he said in a tense exchange with interviewer David Speers.

Iran’s ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi. Picture: ABC

Speers responded: “Can you say today that Iran is not working towards a nuclear weapon?”

Mr Sadeghi: “Not yet.”

Speers: “Not yet. But is that the plan?”

Mr Sadeghi: “No, I don’t mean that (is) not a connotation that you can take out of my proposition.”

Speers: “Are you saying there is no ambition at all to develop a ­nuclear weapon?”

Mr Sadeghi: “Of course not. It has been prohibited by our Supreme Leader.”

Mr Sadeghi called on the Albanese government to condemn Israel’s strikes on Iran.

The Coalition last year called for Mr Sadeghi’s expulsion from Australia after he called on social media for the “wiping out” of the “Zionist plague” by 2027.