Israel is not directly targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in its attacks on Iran but his removal would ultimately benefit the Iranian people, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said.
“We don’t have a goal on Khamenei, nor do we have a goal on regime change,” Herzog said in a Thursday interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporters network, of which POLITICO is a member. “But it could be historically a clear side effect of major historical consequences that will do good to the Iranian people,” he added.
Earlier on Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a strong threat against the Iranian leader, saying that he “cannot continue to exist.”
While Herzog said he sees a chance for regime change in Tehran, he emphasized that Israel’s main goal is focused on eliminating Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, which he said is a threat to global security.
“We are dealing with the Iranian nuclear program, which is a monstrosity, an octopus monstrosity and has many elements, and we need to remove and delineate their capability,” he said.
Speaking about the potential of U.S. involvement in the conflict, Herzog said: “We respect President [Donald] Trump … We think that President Trump has the wisdom, the capabilities, and the clear understanding of the situation. I think that this is a rare opportunity to remove a threat which has been looming over the world.”
The Israeli president also welcomed support from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who on Tuesday praised Israel for doing “the dirty work” for the West.
“I commend Friedrich Merz for moral clarity and clear voice because he’s saying the truth,” Herzog said. “We are defending Europe. We’re defending the United States.”
German, British and French foreign ministers are set to meet with Iranian officials in Geneva on Friday to seek a diplomatic solution to the Iran-Israel crisis.
Herzog said Israel remained open to diplomacy: “Diplomacy can always be part of the solution. We never said no.”
Pressed on what would happen if the U.S. chose not to intervene, Herzog said: “We know what to do. We’ve shown that we know what to do.”
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