Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the conflict with Iran “is not over,” asserting that Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium must still be removed and its nuclear infrastructure dismantled despite the current US-backed ceasefire efforts. He also claimed US President Donald Trump wants to physically secure the nuclear material from Iran.
Speaking in an interview with CBS programme 60 Minutes, Netanyahu said the conflict would continue as long as Iran retained enriched uranium that could potentially be used for nuclear weapons development.
“It’s not over, because there’s still nuclear material – enriched uranium – that has to be taken out of Iran. There are still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled,” Netanyahu said in excerpts released ahead of the programme’s broadcast.
Netanyahu Suggests Physical Removal Of Uranium
The Israeli PM said the most effective solution would involve physically securing and removing the fissile material through an international agreement.
“You go in and you take it out,” Netanyahu said, adding that the best option would be to enter Iran and secure the uranium stockpile as part of a negotiated arrangement.
Referring to discussions with US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu claimed Trump had expressed willingness to pursue such an approach.
“President Trump has said to me, ‘I want to go in there.’ And I think it can be done physically…. If you have an agreement, and you go in, and you take it out, why not?” he said.
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Netanyahu added that while Israeli military operations had significantly weakened parts of Iran’s nuclear network, missile infrastructure and regional proxy capabilities, the threat had not been eliminated.
“But all that is still there, and there’s work to be done,” he remarked.
According to international monitoring agencies, Iran currently possesses nearly 970 pounds of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, raising concerns among Western governments and Israeli officials.
Netanyahu stressed that dismantling Iran’s enrichment facilities and securing the material remained a “terrifically important mission,” though he declined to provide a timeline for any future operations. “I’m not going to give a timetable to it,” he said.
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Gulf Tensions Continue To Escalate
The remarks come amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region following a series of confrontations involving Iranian and US naval forces.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy recently warned that any attacks on Iranian commercial or oil vessels would trigger a “heavy assault” on American military assets and regional bases.
The warning followed reports that US forces intercepted two Iranian tankers allegedly attempting to bypass the naval blockade imposed in the region.
The US military also claimed it had prevented attacks targeting three American ships and carried out retaliatory strikes against Iranian-linked sites near the Strait of Hormuz.
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Iran has since warned of direct retaliation against US interests if further interference with its shipping operations occurs.
The continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of hostilities on February 28 has intensified global concerns over energy supplies, contributing to rising fuel prices and broader economic uncertainty.
While Washington maintains the blockade is necessary to curb funding for Iran’s military and nuclear programmes, Trump has reportedly warned of a return to “full-scale bombing” if maritime routes are not reopened.
