00:00Israel warns military action against Iran if ongoing diplomatic efforts fail to achieve what
00:06it considers core security objectives, Israel's ambassador to Australia has warned, as tensions
00:12over the emerging U.S.-Iran agreement continue to mount. Ambassador sets out red lines.
00:18In an exclusive interview with Iran International, Hillel Newman said Israel supports the negotiations
00:24between Washington and Tehran only insofar as they eliminate what he described as existential
00:30threats posed by the Islamic Republic. We're in favor of talks as long as they attain the
00:36objectives. We cannot compromise on the objectives, Newman said. The ambassador outlined three core
00:43Israeli demands. Removal of Iran's nuclear capability, including zero enrichment and zero
00:49uranium remaining inside the country. Termination of Iran's ballistic missile program. An end to
00:56Iranian support for proxy groups that destabilize the Middle East. If we can attain it through
01:02negotiations and diplomatic discussions, fine. If not, we might have to go back to the military
01:08campaign in order to attain the objectives. But the objectives must be attained, Newman said.
01:14Israel's concerns over emerging deal. The ambassador's warning comes as details emerge of a potential U.S.-Iran
01:22memorandum of understanding that has raised significant concerns in Jerusalem. According to multiple
01:28reports, the emerging framework would extend the current ceasefire for 60 days, reopen the Strait of
01:34Hormuz, and defer discussions on Iran's nuclear program to a later stage of talks. Crucially, the proposed
01:41deal reportedly contains no requirement for Iran to export its stockpile of highly enriched uranium,
01:47material Israeli officials have repeatedly described as an unacceptable threat.
01:52The Iranians have left open the possibility of discussing the removal of their enriched uranium.
01:58But once that discussion comes, they'll be free to refuse as before, after much of the pressure system on
02:04them has already relaxed, said Aaron Lerman, former deputy director of Israel's National Security Council.
02:11Trust in Trump, but with conditions.
02:14Despite the concerns, Newman expressed confidence in the U.S. administration and the unprecedented level
02:21of coordination between Washington and Jerusalem.
02:24We have trust. We have confidence in President Trump. We work together closely. There's coordination,
02:31Newman said, adding that Israel is giving a good opportunity in good faith for the discussions,
02:37for the diplomatic resolution of the issue. However, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S.,
02:43Michael Oren, warned that the current draft of the agreement addresses none of our strategic concerns,
02:48suggesting Jerusalem must make clear to Washington that essential and even existential issues are at stake.
02:56Some analysts have suggested the U.S. could compensate Israel for aspects of the deal it opposes
03:01through enhanced military cooperation, including potential access to advanced weapon systems like B-2 bombers.
03:09Hezbollah front intensifies. Newman also addressed the situation in Lebanon, stating that any agreement
03:15affecting that front must ensure Hezbollah's retreat north of the Latani River. We just have to make sure
03:22that the Hezbollah terrorists are not launching rockets against Israel, and as much as possible,
03:27not armed and present in the southern part of Lebanon, beyond the south of the Latani River, he said.
03:32That's all we want. We don't want any territorial aspirations in Lebanon.
03:37The northern border has seen intensified clashes in recent days.
03:41Israeli forces have expanded operations across southern Lebanon, striking more than 100 Hezbollah
03:48sites overnight, including storage facilities, command centers, and observation points.
03:54One strike in the eastern village of Mushgara killed 12 people, including several members of the same
04:00family, according to Lebanon's state-run national news agency. Hezbollah has responded with an increasing
04:06number of drone attacks. The group issued more than 130 claims of responsibility for attacks between May
04:1318th and May 25th, with 48 involving explosive UAVs. Three Israeli soldiers were killed and at least 15
04:21wounded during the same period, including a brigade commander. The Israeli military has reportedly
04:27turned to the United States for additional systems and technologies to counter Hezbollah's growing drone
04:33capabilities. Israel's public broadcaster Khan reported that ground forces commander Major
04:40General Nadav Lotan is expected to travel to the U.S. in the coming days to oversee purchases related to
04:46the drone threat. Distinction between regime and people
04:51Throughout the interview, Newman emphasized Israel's distinction between the Iranian regime and the Iranian
04:56people, a distinction that has become increasingly central to Israeli messaging as diplomacy with Tehran
05:02in the end. In the end, the people of Iran must take their destiny into their own hands, Newman said.
05:08By weakening the besiege forces and by weakening the IRGC, by weakening the regime itself, we are opening
05:15perhaps a new opportunity for the people of Iran. This framing reflects a broader Israeli strategy of
05:21targeting not only Iran's military capabilities, but also its internal security apparatus, including
05:27checkpoints and street-level units during the recent war, according to the ambassador.
05:34Iran's new supreme leader, Moshtaba Khamenei, issued a sharp response to Israeli threats on Tuesday.
05:41In a message marking the Hajj pilgrimage, he described Israel as a cancerous tumor
05:46that is drawn near to the final stages of their cursed demise. Khamenei also threatened U.S. military
05:53positions across the Middle East, stating that the nations and lands of the region will no longer
05:59serve as shields for American bases, and that America will no longer have a safe haven for mischief
06:05and the establishment of military bases in the region. The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded with a
06:10sarcastic rejoinder to Khamenei's remarks, alluding to the fate of his father and predecessor,
06:16Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli-U.S. airstrike earlier in the conflict.
06:21Path forward. With the 60-day ceasefire window potentially leading to a more permanent arrangement,
06:28Israel finds itself in a difficult position. While not officially party to the U.S.-Iran negotiations,
06:35any agreement reached will effectively bind Israeli action. The direction things appear headed in
06:41enhances Iran's leverage over its neighbors, particularly in the Gulf, said Dan Shapiro,
06:46former U.S. ambassador to Israel. They see that Iran took the United States and Israel's best punch
06:52and survived. As Netanyahu and his military leadership weigh their options, the coming days
06:58will determine whether diplomacy can address Israel's core concerns, or whether the military option,
07:04as Newman warned, will be revisited.
07:06?
07:06?
07:06?
07:06?
07:06?
Comments