Israel must retain freedom to strike Iran to stop nuclear program, says Katz amid talk of imminent US-Iran deal

As US President Donald Trump predicts that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed with Iran in the coming days, Defense Minister Israel Katz hints that Jerusalem will have to use military force in the future to stop Iran from attaining nuclear weapons.

“Israel must ensure that, in the future as well, we retain the ability to act independently to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,” he says in a statement. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF to prepare accordingly.”

He says that Trump is “leading efforts toward an agreement with Iran based on American interests, including the shared interest with Israel of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.”

“We expect him to uphold this principle, as well as additional principles concerning missiles and terrorist proxies,” he continues. Trump has stopped talking about confronting Iran’s ballistic missile program and proxy network as goals of a deal with Iran.

Katz stresses that Israel will remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, and in the northern West Bank.

“Our security doctrine is sharp and clear. We act against both nearby and distant threats, and we strive for decisive outcomes rather than compromises and concessions,” says Katz in what could be interpreted as a criticism of Trump’s policy of pursuing negotiated ceasefires with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran while pushing Israel to dial back military action.

“A great deal is at stake during this period, and we are determined to continue leading a firm security policy that will prevent harm to our security achievements and will not endanger our ability to fight against the Shiite axis of evil led by Iran and the Sunni axis of evil led by the Muslim Brotherhood,” Katz pledges.