IRGC commander did not speak - Netanyahu claimed: "He explicitly declared they would develop nuclear weapons"

Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed in a speech at a state ceremony that IRGC commander Hossein Vahidi explicitly declared Iran's intention to develop nuclear weapons, but no such statement was reported in Iran. The report surfaced about three hours before the speech on Channel 14's X account, without a clear source. Netanyahu stressed that Israel is determined to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and mentioned his friendship with Trump.

In a speech at the state ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, where the grandparents of the state's visionary were brought to burial, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ahmad Vahidi, "explicitly declared" Iran's intention to continue developing nuclear weapons. Netanyahu said he heard the statement that day, but no such public statement was reported in Iran, and Iranian media have denied for years any intention to develop nuclear weapons. A report of an alleged quote from Vahidi was published on Channel 14's X account about three hours before the speech, without a clear source. Netanyahu stressed that Israel is determined to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, with or without a deal, and praised President Trump as a great friend. He mentioned that only about a month ago he claimed Iran already had atomic bombs, which drew criticism from Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot, who called it a "fabrication."

IRGC commander did not speak - Netanyahu claimed: "He explicitly declared they would develop nuclear weapons"