Israeli President Denies Pursuing Regime Change in Iran: "The Goal is to Eliminate the Nuclear Program"

1. Official Statement from the Israeli President

In an interview with CNBC on June 18, Israeli President Isaac Herzog clarified that Israel is not pursuing regime change in Iran. He emphasized that recent Israeli military actions were solely aimed at neutralizing the threat from Iran’s nuclear program.

"Regime change is not an official objective of ours. We are acting to remove the Iranian nuclear threat." — Isaac Herzog

However, Herzog did note that a change in Iran's regime “could also bring peace to the region.”

2. Israeli Airstrikes on Iran Escalate Tensions

On June 13, Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting sites allegedly linked to Iran’s nuclear program. The strikes triggered immediate retaliation from Iran, and both sides have since been engaged in back-and-forth attacks, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

3. IAEA Warning on Iran's Cooperation

On June 9, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urged Iran to fully cooperate with inspections, warning that without transparency, the agency could not confirm the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.

This adds to growing global concerns that Iran may be moving closer to developing nuclear weapons.

4. U.S. Intelligence Divided on Nuclear Threat

Former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Iran was “very close” to obtaining a nuclear bomb.

In contrast, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified to Congress in March that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon and that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has not authorized restarting the weapons program suspended in 2003.

“The intelligence community continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.” — Tulsi Gabbard

5. International Response: G7 Backs Israel, China Supports Iran

The Group of Seven (G7) countries expressed strong support for Israel, condemning Iran as “the principal source of regional instability and terror” and reaffirming that “Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon.”

China, however, took a sharply different stance. Foreign Minister Wang Yi condemned Israel’s strikes as a violation of Iran’s sovereignty and voiced full support for Iran’s right to defend its national interests.

6. Is There Still Room for Diplomacy?

Despite the rising tension, Herzog said that diplomatic efforts are ongoing behind the scenes. He mentioned active back-channel communications and intense engagement with global leaders as part of efforts to prevent further escalation.

"There is actually a lot of back-channel dialogue. Talks with world leaders are quite intensive." — Isaac Herzog

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