Tel Aviv (Diplomat.so) - Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, said Sunday, that the conflict surrounding Iran's nuclear program "has not ended" as he warned that Tehran continues to retain enriched uranium and operate nuclear facilities requiring dismantlement.
Netanyahu made the remarks in excerpts from an interview with the American television program "60 Minutes,” broadcast by CBS ahead of the full release. He stated that while recent military actions had delivered significant outcomes, key nuclear-related risks remain unresolved. He emphasized that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium should be removed from the country and that remaining enrichment sites must be shut down to prevent further escalation.
"I think the war achieved a lot, but it has not ended yet because there are nuclear materials, enriched uranium, that must be taken out of Iran,” Netanyahu said. "There are still uranium enrichment sites that need to be dismantled.”
The Israeli prime minister suggested that direct intervention would be required to eliminate the remaining materials. "You go in and take it out,” he said when asked about the logistics of removing Iran’s nuclear stockpile. He did not specify whether such action would be military, intelligence-led, or coordinated internationally.
Netanyahu also referred to discussions involving the United States, saying that U.S. President Donald Trump had expressed interest in entering Iranian nuclear facilities. His comments did not provide further detail on the nature or context of those conversations.
Iran has repeatedly maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful civilian use and remains under international monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency, though disputes over access and verification have persisted for years.
A regional security analyst based in Tel Aviv, speaking to Diplomat News Network, said Netanyahu’s remarks reflect continued Israeli concern over Iran’s residual nuclear capacity. "The focus is now shifting from enrichment capability to material accountability and physical removal of stockpiles,” the analyst said, speaking on condition of attribution.
The nuclear dispute between Iran and Israel remains one of the most sensitive issues in Middle East security policy, shaped by years of stalled negotiations, sanctions regimes, and intermittent military tensions. Western governments continue to emphasize the importance of verification mechanisms and containment measures, while Israel maintains that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure represents an immediate strategic threat.
Netanyahu’s latest comments are expected to add further pressure on diplomatic channels dealing with Iran’s nuclear file, particularly regarding monitoring, enforcement, and the future of enrichment facilities.
