Netanyahu says Iran's regime change 'possible, not guaranteed'; discusses future of 3Hs

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that while it is possible to topple the Iranian regime through the US-Israel operation on the West Asian nation, it is "not a guarantee". The remarks from the Israeli premier came during his interview with CBS News' 60 Minutes.

The Israeli Prime Minister was responding to the question about a New York Times report that suggested that he told the US situation room on February 11 that a joint Israeli-American operation could collapse the Islamic Republic. While Netanyahu called the report "false", he maintained that the goal was not unrealistic.

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“We both agreed that there was uncertainty and risk involved,” Netanyahu said, quoting US President Donald Trump as having said that there is danger in action but a bigger danger in not acting. Asked if it is possible to topple the Iranian regime, Netanyahu said, “I think that you can’t predict when that happens. Is it possible? Yes. Is it guaranteed? No. But I can tell you it’s like bankruptcy, you know? It… proceeds gradually, and then it falls.”

The Israeli prime minister also noted that when or if the Iranian regime falls, it would mean the end of its network of proxies, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis. Netanyahu went on to describe Iran as “scaffolding” that is keeping these groups afloat.

Israel wants to be independent of the US aid

In the 60 Minute interview, Netanyahu said that he intends to wean Israel off all US military aid within a decade, repeating remarks he made to The Economist earlier this year. He admitted that both Washington and Tel Aviv did not foresee the effective use Iran would make of its control of the Hormuz Strait before the war began.

“I don’t claim perfect foresight, and nobody had perfect foresight. Neither did the Iranians,” Netanyahu told CBS News. He made it clear that while the war with Iran accomplished a great deal, it is still not yet over.

"There is still nuclear material, enriched uranium, that has to be taken out of Iran," he explained. "There are still enrichment sites which have to be dismantled. There are still proxies that Iran supports. There are ballistic missiles they want to produce. Now we've degraded a lot of it, but all of that is still there, and there is work to be done."

When asked how Iran's supply of enriched uranium could be removed from the country, Netanyahu replied simply that "You go in, and you take it out." "If you have an agreement, and you go in and you take it out, why not? That's the best way," he said.

Earlier on Sunday, US President Donald Trump said that the United States has Iran's enriched uranium surveilled and is prepared to take action if it receives intelligence that action is being taken at the site.