Sa’ar says Israel not seeking ‘endless war’ with Iran; German FM says Tehran ‘not ready’ for diplomacy

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says that Israel is not seeking an “endless war” in Iran and will coordinate with the United States on when to stop their ongoing joint bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic, during a Jerusalem press conference alongside German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

While Sa’ar declines to give the operation a clear timeline, he says in response to a question that “in due time, we will consult with our American friends when we think it is the right time to [end the conflict.] We are not looking for an endless war.”

He says Israel’s goals are “to remove for the long term existential threats from Iran to Israel,” adding that “it is hard to see [this happening] with the current regime.”

Referring to Iran’s newly selected supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, whose father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, was assassinated in the US-Israeli campaign, Sa’ar says “the new Khamenei is no less extremist than the previous.”

He reiterates remarks from Israeli officials that “regime change can also happen after the campaign. But it’s important to create the conditions for a change in Iran, for the people of Iran to be able to regain their freedom.”

“We must not miss this opportunity with partial results. So we will continue until the minute that we and our partners think it is appropriate to stop,” Sa’ar says.

Addressing international criticism of the campaign, Sa’ar says that “all those that called during [recent] days for ‘de-escalation’ are ensuring escalation for the people of Iran and for the Middle East and beyond, decades forward.”

Sa’ar reiterates his call for “countries to take the next moral step and cut all diplomatic ties with this terror regime.”

Wadephul, who is the first foreign leader to hold a diplomatic visit to Israel since the start of the campaign, says that while Germany hopes for a diplomatic solution to the conflict — and while Jerusalem and Washington “are ready for a diplomatic solution” — he doesn’t see the same being true for Iran.

He points to Iran’s attacks on the region and continued use of proxy terror groups, saying: “For now, this is what we hear from Tehran; they are not ready for a diplomatic solution. And as long as this is not the case, we still have to wait.”