Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is closely monitoring escalating unrest in Iran and that he wishes peace and prosperity for the people of Iran. Describing the ongoing situation as “yoke of tyranny”, he said that Israel and the world respect the courage of protestors.In a video released by his office of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said, “We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be freed from the yoke of tyranny, and when that day comes, Israel and Iran will once again be loyal partners in building a future of prosperity and peace for both peoples.”“Israel is closely monitoring events in Iran,” he further added, “The people of Israel and the entire world are in awe of the tremendous courage of Iran’s citizens.”Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also echoes the Israeli PM’s statement in a video he later shared on X. He said, “We also see the people of Iran. And frankly, we wish them much success. We support their struggle for freedom. We think they deserve freedom, we think they deserve a better future.”He further went on to express that Israel has had a “huge problem” with the Iranian regime and accused Iran of being an exporter of terrorism and radicalism.“We don’t have any hostility with the people of Iran. We have a huge problem, which is not only our problem, it’s a regional and international problem with the Iranian regime, which is the number one exporter of terrorism, radicalism. We have just heard what the Americans had described about their deed in Venezuela. It’s a really vicious regime.”The comments came as Netanyahu and US secretary of state Marco Rubio held a meeting focused on Iran’s internal turmoil and discussing possibilities of US intervention in the matter. While details of the discussion were not disclosed, Israeli officials said coordination with Washington remained “critical.”Earlier on Sunday, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that if the United States attacked Iran, “both the occupied territory and centres of the US military and shipping will be our legitimate targets.” An Israeli military official later said the army was “preparing defensively” and would be ready to respond if necessary.The United States has not signalled plans for imminent action, but tensions have risen sharply since Iran accused Washington and Israel of inciting nationwide protests aimed at destabilising Iran.Iran has been gripped by days of deadly demonstrations, initially sparked by rising living costs but quickly expanding into broader anti-government protests challenging the theocratic leadership that has ruled since 1979. Authorities have blamed foreign interference, while protesters have called for sweeping political change.
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