Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar blamed Washington on Tuesday for the Iranian regime’s survival, saying the United States chose against sending troops into Iran to topple the government in Tehran.
“The US decided not to send its soldiers into Iranian territory to topple the current regime,” Zohar told Army Radio. “Had they wanted the regime to fall, it would have fallen.”
At the same time, Zohar praised Israel’s conduct of the war, saying the campaign had been managed “close to perfect” so far.
“Until this moment, the management of the war has been close to perfect,” he said. “We set Iran back by decades; their entire leadership is gone.”
Zohar’s comments came as coalition ministers continued to criticize the emerging US-Iran agreement and stressed that Israel must retain freedom of action even if Washington moves forward with understandings with Tehran.
Ben-Gvir claims Israel not bound by US agreement
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Trump’s agreement “does not bind us,” adding that Israel is a sovereign state and “not a banana republic.” He said Israel should accept nothing less than the dismantling of Hezbollah and should not remain silent in the face of fire toward Israeli territory.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the agreement “bad for Israel and the entire free world,” and said Israel would have to continue the campaign against the Iranian regime “by ourselves and in creative ways.” He added that Israel must ensure Iran never obtains nuclear weapons.
Energy Minister Eli Cohen said Israel would feel free to act “anywhere in Lebanon” and also in Iran itself. “With the United States or without the United States, we will act and will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons,” he said.