Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, on Monday, 1 June said that Iran will continue to face sustained pressure — including through a naval blockade — until it accepts the terms put forward by the United States. Speaking in an interview in New Delhi, Azar framed the standoff as a direct consequence of Iran's efforts to reverse the outcome of a recent military confrontation.

Iran Trying to Reverse Military Outcome, Says Azar

'We have to be stubborn because Iranians are trying to reverse the result of this military confrontation. They have been defeated... They must renounce the two existential threats they built against Israel and the region and the US President is being stubborn about it. I don't think he is going to renounce his goals and Iran will continue facing pressure, including through the naval blockade, until it agrees to the terms that the United States has put forward,' Azar said.

The ambassador added that there is a 'very clear demand' to eliminate Iran's military nuclear programme, and that 'sufficient military pressure' has already been applied. He noted that the Iranian regime has 'finally realised' that intransigence on this issue is 'not paying off.'

Regional Alignments and the Circle of Peace

Azar pointed to a growing convergence of interests across the region as a direct response to what he described as decades of Iranian destabilisation. He cited Egypt, Jordan, the Abraham Accords nations, and other regional states as working 'behind the scenes with the United States' to neutralise these threats.

'We are working diligently on both the security and economic fronts to bring prosperity to this region,' he said, underlining that both Israel and the US remain prepared to take 'further action' if Iran does not abandon its military nuclear ambitions.

Iran's Non-Compliance with NPT and IAEA

The Israeli diplomat invoked Iran's record of alleged violations under international non-proliferation frameworks. He stated that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has 'repeatedly issued reports' finding Iran non-compliant with its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

'Whoever wants to enjoy legal rights must respect the regime it is part of. Unfortunately, the Iranian regime has not been respecting the regime it has committed to,' Azar said.

Hezbollah Ceasefire Violations and Israel's Response

On the northern front, Azar stated that Israel will 'do whatever is necessary' to protect communities that have faced repeated Hezbollah attacks. He cited more than 1,000 rockets fired since a ceasefire was established, along with the use of UAVs and 12 fatalities since the truce began.

'We are not going to accept that situation. We will continue taking action until a sustainable ceasefire is achieved, in which Hezbollah refrains from attacking civilians,' he said.

Oil Prices and Regional Stability

Addressing the global energy market, Azar noted that oil prices have actually dropped, suggesting the international community has managed to cope with the regional tensions. He expressed hope for a swift ceasefire to restore market stability, and warned that easing pressure on the Iranian regime now would risk a 'much bigger' crisis in the future.

The remarks come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran, with the trajectory of US-Iran negotiations likely to shape the region's security architecture in the months ahead.