Israel ‘has the right to defend itself’ against Iran: Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel should defend itself ‘against a regime that threatens to destroy us’ amid reports Jerusalem is preparing to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The entrance of Iran’s main Natanz nuclear power plant. Picture; AFP.

Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel has a right to defend itself “against a regime that threatens to destroy us” amid reports Jerusalem is preparing to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Intelligence officials have told CNN that Israeli communication intercepts and the movement of air munitions suggested a possible imminent attack even as the Trump administration pursues a diplomatic deal with Tehran in Omani-mediated nuclear talks.

The Israeli Prime Minister said he hoped the US and Iran would reach an agreement to prevent Tehran obtaining nuclear weapons.

“That would mean denying Iran the ability to enrich uranium,” he told reporters. “If such a deal is reached - of course, we would welcome it. But let me be clear: the state of Israel reserves the right to defend itself against a regime that threatens to destroy us.”

The intelligence officials told CNN it wasn’t clear if Jerusalem had made a final decision but “the chance of an Israeli strike on an Iranian nuclear facility has gone up significantly in recent months.”

An official told the broadcaster: “The prospect of a Trump-negotiated US-Iran deal that doesn’t remove all of Iran’s uranium makes the chance of a strike more likely.”

Such a strike, made without US agreement, would be a break with the Trump administration and risks retaliation from Tehran and a broader regional conflict.

The warning comes as Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the nuclear talks with Washington were unlikely to yield any results, amid a diplomatic standoff over the Islamic republic’s enrichment activities.

“We don’t think it will lead to any outcome. We don’t know what will happen,” said Khamenei during a speech, adding that denying Iran’s right to enrich uranium was “a big mistake”.

Iran and the United States have held four rounds of nuclear talks since April 12, the highest-level contact between the two foes since Washington abandoned the 2015 nuclear accord.

They had confirmed plans to hold another round of discussions during their last meeting on May 11, which Iran described as “difficult but useful”, while a US official said Washington was “encouraged”.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a Senate hearing in Washington that “we hope that we can reach an agreement with Iran”.

Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 per cent, far above the 3.67-per cent limit set in the 2015 deal and close though still short of the 90 per cent needed for a nuclear warhead.

Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, while Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Iran has repeatedly insisted its right to maintain uranium enrichment was “non-negotiable”, while chief US negotiator Steve Witkoff has called it a “red line”.

On Sunday, Witkoff reiterated that the United States “cannot allow even one per cent of an enrichment capability.”

“The American side involved in these indirect negotiations should refrain from speaking nonsense,” said Khamenei.

On Tuesday, Rubio said Iran could have civilian nuclear power while importing enriched uranium but that it wanted to keep its enrichment program as “a matter of national pride” and “as a deterrent”.

“They believe that it makes them a threshold nuclear power, and as a result … untouchable,” he said.

Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister and lead negotiator Abbas Araghchi said “enrichment in Iran, however, will continue with or without a deal”.

“If the US is interested in ensuring that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, a deal is within reach, and we are ready for a serious conversation to achieve a solution that will forever ensure that outcome,” he said in a post on X.

Iranian diplomats have said Tehran would be open to temporary restrictions on how much uranium it enriches and to what level.

With AFP