Herzog mentioned the possibility of regime change in Tehran but stressed that Israel’s primary aim is to dismantle Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, which he considers a threat to global security.
“We are dealing with the Iranian nuclear program, which is a monstrosity, an octopus monstrosity and has many elements, and we need to remove and delineate their capability,” he said.
On U.S. involvement, Herzog stated, “We respect President [Donald] Trump … We think that President Trump has the wisdom, the capabilities, and the clear understanding of the situation. I think that this is a rare opportunity to remove a threat which has been looming over the world.”
The Israeli president appreciated support from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who praised Israel for doing “the dirty work” for the West.
“I commend Friedrich Merz for moral clarity and clear voice because he’s saying the truth,” Herzog said. “We are defending Europe. We’re defending the United States.”
German, British, and French foreign ministers are scheduled to meet with Iranian officials in Geneva on Friday to seek a diplomatic solution to the Iran-Israel crisis.
Herzog stated Israel remained open to diplomacy: “Diplomacy can always be part of the solution. We never said no.”
When asked about the possibility of the U.S. not intervening, Herzog remarked: “We know what to do. We’ve shown that we know what to do.”
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