Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the conflict with Iran cannot be considered finished until Tehran’s uranium stockpile is removed and its nuclear facilities are completely dismantled.

Speaking during an interview on CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Netanyahu insisted that despite recent military pressure on Iran and claims from United States President Donald Trump that Tehran had been weakened, the core issue of Iran’s nuclear programme remains unresolved.

According to the Israeli leader, Iran still possesses enriched uranium and maintains operational enrichment facilities — a situation he believes continues to pose a major security threat to Israel and the wider region.

“It’s not over, because there’s still nuclear material, enriched uranium, that has to be taken out of Iran. There are still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled,” Netanyahu said during the interview.

His remarks come at a time when global attention remains fixed on tensions between Israel and Iran, especially over fears that the conflict could escalate into a broader regional war.

Netanyahu Pushes For Complete Removal Of Iran’s Nuclear Materials

During the interview, Netanyahu stressed that merely weakening Iran militarily would not be enough if the country still retained access to enriched uranium.

When asked how the uranium would be removed, the Israeli Prime Minister responded bluntly: “You go in and you take it out.”

Although he avoided discussing specific military plans, Netanyahu hinted that discussions with President Trump reflected similar concerns about Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

According to him, any long-term peace or resolution would require direct action against Iran’s remaining nuclear infrastructure.

He also noted that the best option would be achieving this through an agreement rather than through military confrontation.

“I think it can be done physically. That’s not the problem. If you have an agreement and you go in and you take it out, why not? That’s the best way,” he added.

Trump Says Iran Has Already Been Defeated Militarily

Interestingly, President Donald Trump appeared to strike a different tone in a separate interview aired the same day.

Trump claimed Iran had already been “militarily defeated” and suggested the United States could monitor or seize Iran’s uranium stockpile whenever necessary.

“We’ll get that at some point, whenever we want. We’ll have it surveilled,” Trump said.

He further warned that any attempt by Iran to move or protect the uranium facilities would be met with force.

“If anybody got near the place we will know about it and we’ll blow them up,” the US president added.

The contrasting comments from both leaders have fueled fresh debate over whether the conflict is truly winding down or entering another phase focused on nuclear control and regional influence.

Israel Wants To Reduce Dependence On US Military Support

Beyond the war itself, Netanyahu also spoke about Israel’s future relationship with the United States.

The Israeli Prime Minister revealed that he wants Israel to gradually reduce its dependence on American military aid over the next decade.

Israel currently receives roughly $3.8 billion annually in military support from Washington, making it one of America’s biggest strategic allies.

However, Netanyahu said he had informed Trump that Israel should begin preparing to fund more of its defence independently.

“I think that it’s time that we wean ourselves from the remaining military support,” he said.

“Let’s start now, and do it over the next decade.”

Iran’s Regional Influence Still A Major Concern

Netanyahu further argued that the war extends beyond nuclear facilities alone.

He accused Iran of continuing to support regional armed groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis, while also expanding its ballistic missile programme.

According to him, although Israel has weakened parts of Iran’s military network, several threats still remain active across the Middle East.

“There’s still proxies that Iran supports, their ballistic missiles that they still want to produce. Now, we’ve degraded a lot of it, but all that is still there and there’s work to be done,” he stated.

The Israeli leader also alleged that China has been indirectly assisting Iran, particularly in missile manufacturing, though he declined to provide detailed evidence.

As tensions continue, Netanyahu maintained that lasting peace would only be possible if Iran’s military influence and nuclear ambitions are fully dismantled — a position that could shape future negotiations and military decisions in the region.