Jerusalem, February 16 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that any potential agreement with Iran must include the removal of nuclear materials, a halt to uranium enrichment, and restrictions on ballistic missiles, expressing skepticism about Tehran's intentions.
Speaking at a public conference on Sunday after a recent meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, Netanyahu said that Trump was "determined to exhaust all possibilities of achieving a deal, which he believes can now be achieved."
However, Netanyahu said he remains skeptical "about any deal with Iran."
He also said that Israel is seeking to shift its relationship with Washington "from aid to partnership" and build an independent domestic defense industry, according to Xinhua news agency.
Referring to the Israeli offensive in Gaza, Netanyahu said that Israel had dismantled about 150 km out of 500 km of tunnels. "We have to complete the job," he said. "That also means that they (Hamas) cannot hide weapons labs or other facilities that they use to rearm themselves and regroup, which they do."
Israel is "giving a chance" to the Gaza ceasefire plan, but would renew the war if necessary to dismantle Hamas, he said.
Since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into effect on October 10, 2025, Israeli forces have killed 601 Palestinians and injured 1,607 others, according to figures released by the Gaza-based health authorities on Sunday.