Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 14: In a sharply-worded defence of Israel’s recent military offensive against Iran, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, accused Tehran of violating nuclear agreements and coming dangerously close to arming itself with a nuclear weapon. Speaking to reporters, Azar framed the strike as an existential necessity rather than a political choice.

“According to our intelligence, Iran was on the brink of assembling a nuclear weapon. They had exploited the negotiation window granted during President Trump’s term to secretly accelerate their weapons programme,” Azar said. “We acted to prevent our annihilation — because that’s Iran’s stated objective: to destroy the State of Israel.”

The military campaign, codenamed Operation Rising Lion, was launched on Friday following what Azar described as confirmation of Iran’s clandestine nuclear weapon development by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced on Saturday that nine Iranian nuclear scientists had been eliminated in the initial phase of the operation.

Azar claimed Iran had once again violated the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and breached the safeguards agreement overseen by the IAEA. “This is not a question of ability — nuclear technology is not new. It’s about intent, and the Iranian regime has made its intentions crystal clear.”

The ambassador noted that although Israel had repeatedly urged the IAEA to act upon intelligence shared by Western allies, the agency had responded too slowly. “They’ve finally confirmed what we already knew — Iran is cheating,” he added.

The current confrontation, Azar said, is part of a broader, long-standing conflict. “For over three decades, Iran has attacked us indirectly — sponsoring terrorism, training militants, financing weapon systems, and supporting proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis. Now, with nuclear weapons in their crosshairs, we cannot remain passive.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed “harsh punishment” in response to the Israeli attacks. Meanwhile, missile barrages launched towards Israeli cities resulted in the deaths of two civilians on Friday night, with more drones and ballistic missiles targeting urban areas — strikes that Azar labeled as war crimes.

He emphasised that Israel remains on high alert. “We’ve advised all citizens to stay close to shelters. The threat from Iran is real and direct.”

Azar also claimed that several countries in the Gulf region quietly support Israel’s actions. “There are shared concerns. Many Arab nations who have signed peace accords with us see Iran as a threat to their own stability. They understand that neutralising this danger benefits the entire region.”

As tensions mount in the Middle East, the Israeli government has signalled that it is prepared for a prolonged confrontation. Azar concluded: “We don’t want this war, but if it’s forced upon us, we won’t shy away from doing what it takes to protect our country.”