Mossad Director David Barnea declared that Israel bears the responsibility to ensure Iran cannot revive its nuclear program, speaking at a Jerusalem ceremony honoring agency operatives. His remarks came six months after Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during a 12-day conflict that also saw U.S. involvement. Barnea emphasized continued cooperation with Washington to prevent Tehran from rebuilding its damaged nuclear infrastructure.

Barnea, whose term ends in June 2026, praised Israel’s surprise attacks for exposing deep intelligence penetration inside Iran. He warned that Iran still harbors ambitions for nuclear weapons and criticized diplomatic efforts, claiming Tehran seeks to deceive the international community into accepting another flawed nuclear deal. Western nations have long accused Iran of pursuing nuclear arms, though Tehran denies the allegations.

The comments follow the collapse of U.S.-Iran negotiations mediated by Oman after June’s Israeli strikes. While former U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that the attacks destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, Pentagon assessments suggest only a temporary setback of one to two years, leaving uncertainty over Iran’s future nuclear capabilities.