Key Points
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog said that regime change was “not an official objective of ours,” and the goal was “to remove the Iranian nuclear program.”
In the interview, he accused Tehran of “cheating” and “rushing to the bomb.”
Herzog also added that the strikes on Iran have had a genuine impact on its nuclear program.
BERLIN, GERMANY – MAY 12: Israeli President Isaac Herzog speaks during a press conference with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (not pictured) at Schloss Bellevue presidential palace on May 12, 2025 in Berlin, Germany.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Wednesday that his country was no longer pursuing regime trade in Iran, and its attack on Tehran turned into aimed at putting off its nuclear capabilities.
Herzog stated to Dan Murphy of Expressepaper that the objective became “to put off the Iranian nuclear application,” and that regime change became “not a legit goal of ours.” Herzog, who accused Tehran of “dishonest” and “speeding to the bomb,” said that a “trade in [regime] can also deliver peace within the area.”
In a declaration on June nine, the International Atomic Energy Agency urged Iran to “fully cooperate” with the employer or it would “now longer be in a role to assure that Iran’s nuclear programme is solely peaceful.” Israel launched a series of airstrikes against Iran on June 13, focused on regions it claimed were related to Iran’s nuclear program. Both aspects have given that been trading strikes.
In order to put off approaching threats, one sometimes wishes to be tough. That’s exactly what we’re doing, Herzog told Expressepaper, including that the moves in opposition to Iran have simply affected its nuclear software.
U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly stated on Wednesday that Iran was “very near” to having a nuclear bomb, setting him at odds with the testimony of his National Intelligence Director, Tulsi Gabbard, given to the U.S. Congress in March.
According to Gabbard’s announcement, “The IC [intelligence community] keeps to assess that Iran isn’t always constructing a nuclear weapon” and that “Supreme Leader Khamanei has not legalized the nuclear weapons application he suspended in 2003.” Earlier this week, the Group of Seven nations expressed support for Israel, while condemning Iran as “the predominant source of local instability and terror,” and reiterated that “Iran can by no means have a nuclear weapon.”
This turned out to be in contrast to China’s stance. In the aftermath of the Israeli assault, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that Beijing “explicitly condemns Israel’s violation of Iran’s sovereignty,” and stated that it helps Iran in “safeguarding its country wide sovereignty and defending its legitimate rights and pastimes.”
Herzog spoke back, “There’s truly loads of lower back channel,” when asked if there has been a diplomatic ramp off to calm things down. Countrywide discussions and dialogue with world leaders are quite extreme.