Netanyahu claims Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief threatened nuclear weapons development

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards commander made explicit threats to develop nuclear weapons, though Iranian officials have not reported any such statement from the military leader. Netanyahu made the claim during a speech at a state ceremony, asserting that the commander had issued a direct warning about pursuing nuclear capability. The remarks raise questions about whether Netanyahu was referring to recent reports, potentially from Israeli media outlet Channel 14, which may have covered statements or intelligence assessments regarding Iranian nuclear intentions.

The claim comes amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme. International concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been a consistent point of friction in Middle Eastern politics, with Israel maintaining that Iran poses an existential threat due to its nuclear capabilities. Iran has repeatedly stated that its nuclear programme is purely for peaceful, civilian energy purposes and is conducted under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The discrepancy between Netanyahu’s assertion and the lack of confirmation from Iranian sources highlights the complexity of attribution when it comes to statements from Iranian military figures. The Revolutionary Guards, as a separate military entity from Iran’s regular armed forces, operate with significant autonomy, and not all of their communications are publicly disclosed or widely reported through official channels. Netanyahu’s reference to the remarks, without corroborating documentation from Iranian sources, underscores the information warfare dimension of Israel-Iran relations, where claims and counter-claims about military capabilities and intentions frequently feature in public discourse.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.