The Israeli leader has worked since the 1980s to convince every US president that Tehran seeks an atomic bomb, Masoud Pezeshkian said. In an interview with conservative American journalist Tucker Carlson aired on Monday, Pezeshkian accused Netanyahu of pushing this narrative long before he first became prime minister in 1996. "It was Netanyahu since 1984 who has created this false mentality that Iran seeks a nuclear bomb," he said, referring to Netanyahu’s role as Israel’s envoy to the UN at the time.
Netanyahu has consistently maintained that Iran’s nuclear program poses an existential threat to Israel’s national security. This stance is a key component of his foreign policy and has shaped Israel’s approach to the Iran nuclear issue for decades. The Iranian president, however, has pointed out that these claims lack substantiation, with the International Atomic Energy Agency confirming that Iran has not pursued nuclear weapons. The IAEA’s findings have been a cornerstone of Iran’s position, emphasizing that its nuclear activities are purely civilian in nature.
Pezeshkian also accused Israel of deliberately sabotaging discussions with the U.S. on Iran’s nuclear program immediately after a powerful strike on Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, military facilities, and top commanders on June 13. "We were right in the middle of holding talks with the US… we were told that as long as we don’t give permission to Israel, they are not going to attack you," he said, adding that "Israel torpedoed the negotiating table… they totally ruined and destroyed diplomacy."
The Iranian president confirmed that Iran remains open to discussions about the supervision of its nuclear program. However, he argued that recent attacks on Iranian nuclear sites have complicated monitoring efforts, stating that "we don’t have any access to them [nuclear sites]. We have to wait and see how much they have been damaged."
Before the 12-day war last month, the U.S. and Iran were engaged in talks where Washington demanded that Tehran abandon all uranium enrichment. Iran dismissed this demand, emphasizing that enriched uranium is essential for its civilian nuclear energy program. The Iranian leader also highlighted the importance of the religious decree issued by Iran’s supreme leader, which explicitly prohibits the development of nuclear weapons. These points have been central to Iran’s defense of its nuclear activities, countering the allegations levied by Israel and its Western allies.
Netanyahu has long been a vocal advocate for the idea that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, even going so far as to display a cartoon bomb diagram at the UN in 2012 to illustrate his concerns. This approach has been a significant aspect of his diplomacy and has influenced the broader U.S. stance on the Iran nuclear issue. However, Pezeshkian’s allegations challenge the credibility of these long-standing claims, suggesting that they are based on a narrative that has been perpetuated for decades without sufficient evidence.
There are growing concerns that the persistent accusations of Iranian nuclear ambitions have contributed to a cycle of mistrust and hostility, which has exacerbated the already volatile situation in the Middle East. The dispute over Iran’s nuclear program is not only a bilateral issue but also has significant implications for regional stability, international relations, and global security. As tensions continue to rise, the need for a resolution that addresses the concerns of all parties remains crucial.