"Slowed but not stopped" Israel's Foreign Minister on Iran's nuclear program setback
Israel perceives Iran's nuclear development as trailing by several years.
Gideon Saar, Israel's Foreign Minister, spoke candidly about Iran's nuclear program, stating that Israel's attacks have slowed the development of an atomic bomb by at least a couple of years. Elaborating on the impact, he explained, "We've taken out those who were driving and leading the nuclear armament program. That's crucial in terms of results."
Saar emphasized Israel's unwavering stance against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, declaring, "We've already made significant progress, but we won't rest until we've removed this threat entirely." He further added that Israel would not tolerate Iran following North Korea's path, as the Islamic Republic believes its security is guaranteed by nuclear weapons.
A temporary setback
Despite Iran's repeated attempts to deceive the international community through negotiations, Saar expressed skepticism over a possible diplomatic solution. He pointed out that Iranian negotiators have previously used talks to buy time, and he doesn't believe they've changed their tactics. As of now, Iran is not cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency, making it difficult to verify their actions.
Stalemate in negotiations
Tehran claims it isn't ready for negotiations as long as the attacks continue. However, Saar highlights that there has been no progress in negotiations even before the attacks. As of now, he hasn't seen any concrete offers from Iran suggesting a change in their strategy.
Delaying progress, not ending the program
Israel's attacks have caused significant damage to Iran's nuclear program, but they haven't completely eradicated it. Critical facilities such as the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant near Qom and the Natanz nuclear site have sustained severe damage, affecting operational capabilities but not being obliterated. The Fordow site, for instance, has reportedly had equipment and materials moved ahead of the attacks. The Natanz site, hit hard by at least two large bunker-buster bombs, has lost thousands of centrifuges. However, these attacks have only taken key elements of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure "off the table" temporarily, and not ended the program altogether.
Israel has also targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, eliminating at least ten senior figures connected to Iran’s atomic energy and nuclear faculties. While such losses pose a significant challenge to Iran’s nuclear program, they are unlikely to end the program entirely.
As the ongoing campaign continues, escalating regional tensions and the possibility of nuclear fallout or increased proliferation concerns remain a concern.
[1] Source: ntv.de, ino/AFP/dpa[2] Additional insights - Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear program as of June 2025 have been significant but not fully destructive. Israel, in coordination with the United States, has conducted a series of air strikes targeting critical Iranian nuclear sites. These strikes have inflicted serious damage, severely affecting operational capabilities but not completely destroying these facilities. Israel has also targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, killing at least ten senior figures connected to Iran’s atomic energy and nuclear faculties. While such losses pose a significant challenge to Iran’s nuclear program, they are unlikely to end the program entirely. The ongoing campaign has provoked Iranian missile retaliations against Israel and increases regional tensions, complicating the strategic landscape further.
The ongoing attacks by Israel on Iran's nuclear program have yielded a temporary halt but not a definitive end to the program. In terms of community policy and general-news, these actions have raised concerns about the escalating political tensions between Israel and Iran. Despite repeated attacks, Israel's employment policy continues to focus on delaying the progress of Iran's nuclear armament, as evidenced by the damage sustained at crucial facilities like the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant and the Natanz nuclear site. Moreover, the assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists are part of Israel's employment policy aimed at weakening Iran's nuclear program, although they have not resulted in its complete elimination.
