Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, 12 June pledged that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons as long as he remains in office, declaring he and US President Donald Trump are in 'complete agreement on this issue.' The statement, posted directly on X, came a day after Trump announced that Iran had accepted a framework agreement with the United States that would permanently bar Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Netanyahu's Vow in Full

In his post, Netanyahu stated: 'As long as I am Prime Minister of Israel — Iran will not have nuclear weapons. There is full agreement between me and President Trump on this issue. For over 30 years, I have been at the forefront of the international campaign against Iran's nuclear programme.'

He added: 'Had it not been for this campaign, Iran would long ago have had atomic bombs to destroy Israel. Iran is working to destroy the Jewish state, and I dedicate my life to preventing them from doing so. As long as I am Prime Minister of Israel, this will not happen.'

The US-Iran Framework Deal

Speaking at the White House, Trump said negotiations had reached their final stage and that documents were being prepared for what he described as a major diplomatic breakthrough. 'We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran, and we're going to be subject to finalisation of documents, which should get done over the next few days,' Trump said.

Trump said the agreement could be signed 'very soon,' possibly over the weekend in Europe. When asked whether Iran's Supreme Leader had approved the arrangement, Trump responded, 'I understand the answer is yes.'

He described the arrangement as 'a very strong memorandum of understanding' that had also received backing from several countries involved in regional diplomacy, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait — all of whom Trump said he had spoken with following the breakthrough.

Trump on Iran's Military Degradation

Trump argued that sustained military pressure had compelled Tehran to accept the terms. 'They've taken a pounding,' he said. 'They want to make the deal a lot more than I do.' He further claimed Iran's military capabilities had been severely degraded: 'Their navy is gone, their air force is gone, their anti-aircraft is gone, everything's gone. But we found them to be rational and they're going to make a deal.'

Trump also suggested that a new leadership group had emerged in Tehran following the conflict, describing it as 'frankly a smarter level.'

Regional and Strategic Significance

Netanyahu's declaration underscores the convergence of Israeli and American positions on Iran's nuclear ambitions — a alignment that has been contested for years amid differences over diplomatic timelines and red lines. Notably, this is the first time Trump has publicly claimed Iran's Supreme Leader has effectively endorsed a permanent nuclear prohibition framework.

The formal signing of any agreement, if it proceeds, would mark one of the most consequential diplomatic developments in the Middle East in decades. Whether the memorandum of understanding translates into a verifiable, enforceable treaty remains to be seen.