Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Nuclear Iran would change history, Netanyahu tells TV labelled ‘terrorist’ by Tehran

Nuclear Iran would change history, Netanyahu tells TV labelled ‘terrorist’ by Tehran

“History will change” if Iran becomes a nuclear-armed state, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned in an interview with a Persian-language TV network that Tehran has labelled a “terrorist organization.”

In an interview Iran International TV aired on Thursday, Netanyahu said that that the prospect of a regime “committed to the destruction” of his country possessing nuclear weapons was unthinkable.

“Imagine if they have the weapons of the greatest terror, nuclear weapons with which they can hold the entire world hostage. So I say to Western leaders, to world leaders: history will change if Iran [gets] nuclear weapons,” he said.

In November, Iran’s Intelligence Minister described Iran International as a “terrorist organization.” The station announced last month that it would relocate from London to Washington on the advice of UK police, citing alleged threats from Iran.

“The imperative now is to free the Iranian people, both for their own sake but also for our common security,” the Israeli leader said. “We cannot let this radical Islamic terrorist regime that oppresses its people [and] terrorizes everyone else have the weapons of mass death. This will change history and we have to stop it before it happens.”

Netanyahu called for “crippling sanctions” against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and for a “credible military response and a military threat against the potential development of nuclear weapons” by Iran.

He warned that if the Islamic Republic acquired nuclear weapons, it would feel “invulnerable” and seek to “buy immunity” from being overthrown.

“Once they have nuclear weapons … they’ll feel that they’re there forever. And one of the things that they want through the acquisition of nuclear weapons is … to be able to be free from the threat of being deposed. They think they’ll buy immunity,” he said.

This week, the US, Britain, France and Germany expressed concern over Iran’s production of uranium enriched to 84 percent purity, just under the 90 percent needed to produce a nuclear bomb, and called for an explanation from Iran.

Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only and that it has not attempted to enrich uranium beyond 60 percent purity.

Diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which Netanyahu opposes, have stalled since last year.

The 2015 deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Netanyahu believes the deal is too generous to Tehran.

Former US President Donald Trump, who also thought the deal was too soft on Iran, withdrew Washington from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran.

Iran responded by expanding its nuclear program, breaching most of the deal’s restrictions.


Grossi comments ‘totally wrong’


Netanyahu criticized comments made by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, who during a visit to Tehran earlier this month said that any military attack on nuclear facilities would be considered illegal.

“(Grossi) said something totally wrong and inappropriate. There is nothing more legitimate than preventing a regime that openly calls for your destruction from having the weapons to achieve that goal,” said Netanyahu.

“We will maintain our right to defend ourselves and in so doing defend many others, including the people of Iran,” he added.

He said that whether there will be a direct military conflict between Israel and Iran depends on Tehran.

Netanyahu added that the recent protest movement in Iran had “unmasked the true nature” of the Iranian regime, which he described as the “common enemy” of Iranians and Israelis. He expressed the hope that a different government in Tehran would lead to a friendship between Israel and Iran “surpass[ing] anything that we can imagine.”

Iran experienced months of protests following the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who died on September 16 shortly after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly breaching the country’s strict dress rules for women.

The protests, which quickly escalated into calls for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, were met with a violent crackdown from authorities, who viewed the protests as “riots” backed by foreign powers, namely the US and Israel.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
India and Pakistan Agreement on Ceasefire Amid Ongoing Tensions
Trump's Upcoming Middle East Trip Excludes Israel, Raising Concerns Among Israeli Officials
Kurdistan Workers Party Announces Dissolution Amid Ongoing Conflict Resolution Efforts
Trump's Upcoming Visit to Gulf Nations: Investment and Security at the Forefront
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Worldwide Markets Decline as U.S.-China Trade Frictions Intensify
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Removing the Political Adversary is Dismantling What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy.
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Volunteers in Jeddah Ensure No One Goes Hungry During Ramadan Iftar
New Restaurant Opens in Makkah's Iconic Clock Tower for Ramadan Iftar
Saudi Arabia's Project Masam Removes 552 Houthi Mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Fines Over 400 Foreign Trucks for Regulatory Violations
Saudi National Campaign for Charitable Work Reports Significant Donations in Ramadan
Historic Al-Hosn Al-Asfal Mosque Restored in Asir as Part of National Heritage Initiative
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Advocates for Global Water Cooperation at Forum
Madinah Governor Tours Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Saudi Foreign Minister in Cairo to Lead Meeting on Gaza Developments
Recognition of Saudi and Pakistani Entrepreneurs at Riyadh Ceremony
UAE Announces $1.4 Trillion Investment Plan in the United States
Saudi Arabia Innovates in Soil Quality and Water Conservation
Governor of Taif Engages with Rose and Aromatic Plants Cooperative
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Enhances Preparations for Hajj Season
Saudi Arabia Distributes Aid to Yemen and Romania
Restoration of Historic Al-Qalaah Mosque in Riyadh Underlines Heritage Preservation Efforts
Saudi Arabia Arrests Over 25,000 for Immigration Violations in One Week
×