The United States and Iran have prepared to sign a landmark peace agreement aimed at reducing tensions between the two nations, with the formal signing ceremony scheduled in Geneva this Friday. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed strong opposition to the deal, making clear that Israel would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons regardless of whether any agreement is in place. He ruled out any compromise on Israeli security.
Netanyahu warned that Israel’s fight against Iran and its allies was far from over. While acknowledging that joint US-Israeli military action had reduced the nuclear threat to some extent, he stressed that significant challenges remained. He maintained that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons was Israel’s primary objective, and despite certain differences with US leadership, including with Trump, both nations would continue working together on Israel’s defence.
Addressing the Lebanon border situation, Netanyahu stated that the Israeli military had already taken control of key areas against Hezbollah. He asserted that Israel would remain in these buffer zones for as long as necessary and retain full operational freedom to prevent attacks, making clear that strikes against Hezbollah would continue.
Against this backdrop, while US-Iran peace efforts proceed on one side, Netanyahu’s stance is generating fresh regional anxiety. Iran has already warned it would suffocate Israel if attacks on Lebanon do not stop.
The killing of senior Hezbollah commander Musa Dakhdoukh in an Israeli strike has further escalated tensions, casting a shadow over the peace process and raising fears of renewed conflict in the Middle East.