Netanyahu Says Trump Agrees Iran Deal Must Dismantle Enrichment Sites, Remove Uranium

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that President Donald Trump agreed any final agreement with Iran must dismantle Tehran’s nuclear enrichment sites and remove enriched nuclear material from Iranian territory, as Israeli defense officials voiced growing alarm over the emerging U.S.-backed diplomatic framework.

Netanyahu said the two leaders discussed the so-called “Islamabad Declaration,” a memorandum of understanding reportedly aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and advancing negotiations toward a final settlement over Iran’s nuclear program. The prime minister said both leaders agreed that any final deal “must eliminate the nuclear danger,” a position he said requires dismantling Iran’s enrichment infrastructure and removing enriched uranium from the country.

“My policy, like President Trump’s, remains unchanged: Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu stated.

The proposed framework comes as Washington seeks to stabilize the region after months of conflict with Iran and restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint. Reports indicate the draft understandings could include a phased reopening of the strait, a ceasefire extension, and further nuclear negotiations.

Netanyahu also thanked Trump for what he called his “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security,” including during Operation Roaring Lion and Epic Fury, when U.S. and Israeli forces confronted the Iranian threat. He said Trump reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.

But inside Israel’s defense establishment, the tone is far more cautious. Senior IDF officials have described the emerging agreement as “a bad agreement for Israel,” warning that the framework published so far does not appear to provide a sufficient answer to Iran’s nuclear program, which Jerusalem views as its central strategic threat.

Israeli officials are especially concerned that Iran could be left as a “nuclear threshold state,” retaining the knowledge, infrastructure, and enriched material needed to move quickly toward a nuclear weapon if it chooses. That concern has been echoed in Israeli media reports, which said officials fear a rushed agreement could contradict both Netanyahu’s public red lines and Trump’s previous demands.

The IDF is also watching Lebanon closely. Defense officials warned that any ceasefire arrangement involving Hezbollah must not be folded into the Iran agreement.

“The agreement must not include Lebanon,” one senior defense official said.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited Northern Command on Sunday and approved fire plans for continued operations against Hezbollah, including potential strikes deep inside Lebanon. Those plans, however, have not yet been approved by Israel’s political leadership, reportedly in part because of Trump’s decision to continue advancing the diplomatic track with Tehran.

“The IDF continues to monitor regional developments, is prepared to immediately return to high-intensity fighting and to further weaken the Iranian terror regime and its capabilities,” Zamir said. “We will maintain readiness and operational flexibility for as long as required.”

Zamir said Israel remains determined to keep pressure on Hezbollah.

“We are determined to deepen the damage to Hezbollah across all of its systems,” he said. “The damage to the terrorist organization is systematic and consistent. We will not let up.”

The Israeli military chief later visited the headquarters of the 401st Brigade, meeting commanders and troops after the serious wounding last week of brigade commander Col. Meir Biderman in southern Lebanon. Zamir praised the brigade’s combat spirit as Israel prepares for the possibility that diplomacy with Iran could reshape the northern front.

Israeli officials say Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have been central figures behind the scenes, pressing to advance understandings with Tehran and move the region toward rapid stabilization. But Israeli defense officials fear that speed could come at a strategic cost if Iran’s nuclear infrastructure is not fully dismantled.

“Iran must not emerge strengthened,” a senior IDF official said. “They must not be allowed to come out stronger.”

For Israel, the issue is not merely whether Iran signs another diplomatic document. It is whether Tehran is truly stripped of the tools needed to build a nuclear weapon — and whether Hezbollah, Iran’s chief proxy on Israel’s northern border, is allowed breathing room under the cover of a wider regional deal.

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