Olmert: Israel Owns Tools to Foil Iranian Nuclear Program

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Reuters
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Reuters
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Olmert: Israel Owns Tools to Foil Iranian Nuclear Program

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Reuters
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Reuters

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced that his country is able to prevent Tehran from producing a nuclear weapon, but that Tel Aviv needs assistance to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities.

“We have tools capable of preventing Iran from possessing nuclear weapons,” the former PM said during a radio interview Friday, adding that since 2005, Israel has been constantly and on a daily basis preoccupied with the Iranian nuclear issue.

Commenting on US President Joe Biden’s visit to the region, Olmert said, “Biden brought one good news when he pledged that in the absence of a certain solution and in the failure of diplomatic efforts, he will not rule out a military option against Tehran because Washington is committed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”

The former PM stressed that Israel has a huge military force, but it remains insufficient to allow Tel Aviv fight Iran alone.

“This is due to the long distances that separate both countries, the limited range of combat aircraft, the characteristic of the Israeli forces’ composition, and the spread of nuclear reactors over vast and numerous areas,” he said.

Olmert served as Israeli Prime Minister from 2004 to 2009, when Tel Aviv was capable of destroying the Syrian nuclear reactor in Deir Ezzor.

He said that during his term, heads of Israeli specialized apparatuses told him that the Iranians were working to produce a nuclear weapon in 2008, or at the latest in 2009.

“Here we are today in 2022 and Iran does not have a nuclear weapon. It is not because the Iranians do not want to, but because of the huge obstacles that we placed in front of them,” he stressed.

Olmert then warned against the arrival of a government in Israel that does not work in harmony and cooperation with the US administration.

“A situation may arise in which the Americans are not convinced that the Iranian nuclear weapons threaten their vital interests. But their commitment not to leave Israel alone will be crucial,” he stressed.



Iran Turns to Moscow and Beijing to Thwart ‘Snapback’ Sanctions Threat

Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in Beijing on July 13 (Reuters)
Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in Beijing on July 13 (Reuters)
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Iran Turns to Moscow and Beijing to Thwart ‘Snapback’ Sanctions Threat

Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in Beijing on July 13 (Reuters)
Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi met in Beijing on July 13 (Reuters)

Iran is turning to Russia and China in a bid to head off the potential reimposition of international sanctions, amid escalating tensions over its nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held talks with his Chinese and Russian counterparts to discuss the future of the nuclear accord and the possibility that the European troika could trigger the “snapback” mechanism.

Iranian state media reported on Monday that Araghchi arrived in Beijing at the head of an official delegation to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s foreign ministers. The trip comes as debate intensifies within Iran over the stances of Moscow and Beijing, particularly in the aftermath of the recent conflict between Iran and Israel.

Speaking at a press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei stressed that Gulf security remains a priority for China.

“Araghchi’s visit follows an official invitation from the Chinese Foreign Minister,” he said, adding that the Iranian diplomat will hold bilateral meetings Tuesday on the sidelines of the gathering.

Baghaei emphasized Tehran’s ongoing coordination with both Russia and China, who are parties to the nuclear deal.

“Russia and China have consistently expressed their readiness to play a constructive role in the process related to Iran’s nuclear file, and this continues,” he noted. “We have longstanding, friendly relations with both countries and a strategic partnership.”

Addressing reports that Moscow has privately urged Tehran to halt uranium enrichment, Baghaei said: “We have not received any specific proposal from Russia on this matter.”

In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed Iran’s nuclear issue with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, alongside other bilateral and international topics.

Meanwhile, Moscow on Sunday denounced a report claiming President Vladimir Putin had urged Iran to accept a deal with the United States that would bar it from enriching uranium. Russia’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the claim as “defamation” aimed at inflaming tensions over the Iranian nuclear program.

According to the American outlet Axios, sources familiar with the issue said Putin recently pressed Iran to agree to “zero enrichment.”

But Russia rebuffed the report as baseless, insisting its position is well known: "Invariably and repeatedly, we have emphasized the necessity of resolving the crisis concerning Iran's nuclear program exclusively through political and diplomatic means, and expressed our willingness to help find mutually acceptable solutions," the ministry statement read.

It added that Moscow stands ready to help broker mutually acceptable solutions.

Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has strengthened its ties with Tehran. While publicly backing Iran’s right to enrich uranium, Putin has reportedly adopted a tougher line behind closed doors following the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran.

According to European and Israeli officials, Moscow has encouraged Tehran to accept a “zero enrichment” compromise and shared this position with Israeli authorities. “We know this is what Putin told the Iranians,” a senior Israeli official confirmed.

Last week, Putin is said to have relayed his stance in calls with US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.