Israel Not Seeking Regime Change In Iran, Says Foreign Minister Sa’ar

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has said that Israel is not pursuing regime change in Iran, stressing that the decision about Iran’s future lies with its people.

In an interview with CNN, Sa’ar stated, “The goal is not regime change. That’s for the Iranian people to decide. We, Israel, do not see the Iranian people as our enemies.”

His remarks come amid heightened tensions and ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran. When asked whether the removal of Iran’s leadership, headed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was among Israel’s objectives, Sa’ar reiterated that Israel’s focus is not on toppling the regime but on defending itself.

Sa’ar acknowledged that Israel anticipated civilian casualties resulting from Iran’s retaliatory operations but said Israel had “no other choice.”

“When we made this historic, difficult decision, we knew we would face hard times and suffer losses,” he said. “But even so, we had no other choice.”

He further warned that Israeli intelligence assessments indicated Iran could potentially develop a nuclear weapon within six months.

The foreign minister also expressed appreciation for US military support but noted that Washington would make its own decisions regarding involvement in targeting Iranian military infrastructure.