As tensions in the Middle East continue to rise, Israel is firmly defending its recent military actions against Iran.
In an interview aired on June 19, Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican, Yaron Sideman, said his country’s controversial attacks on Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure were not only justified—they were necessary to stop what he warned could become a global disaster.
Speaking to EWTN News correspondent Colm Flynn, Sideman insisted that Israel’s recent airstrikes were about survival—not provocation.
Acting at the Eleventh Hour
Reflecting on last week’s strikes, Sideman described them as a last-minute effort to stop an immediate threat.
“It felt like the eleventh hour,” he said. “We had no choice but to protect ourselves by targeting and destroying Iran’s weapons programs.”
With Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities reportedly advancing at an alarming pace, Sideman emphasized that waiting any longer would have been far too risky for Israel—and for the rest of the world.
Defending Against a Global Threat
When asked if Israel’s military actions risk pushing the world closer to a third world war, Sideman didn’t hesitate.
“We are preventing World War III,” he declared.
According to him, the real danger comes not from Israel’s response, but from allowing a hostile regime like Iran’s to develop the world’s most destructive weapons.
“We are preventing further escalation by depriving the most dangerous regime on earth of the most dangerous deadly weapon on earth,” he said.
Iran’s Rapid Nuclear Development Raises Alarm
Sideman went on to describe how Iran’s nuclear program has recently accelerated “to an unimaginable degree.”
He said the country has now enriched uranium to 60% U-235—a level that edges dangerously close to weapons-grade material.
He claimed Iran has already accumulated enough enriched uranium to create up to nine nuclear bombs and is producing ballistic missiles at an astonishing rate of 300 per month.
Violating International Agreements
Referencing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Sideman said Iran is in serious violation of international agreements.
He pointed out that Iran’s current uranium enrichment far exceeds the level needed for peaceful energy purposes—directly contradicting the country’s stated intentions.
He stressed that unless Iran’s weapons program is dismantled or rolled back significantly, it could threaten not just Israel but the broader international community.
What Does Israel See as the Endgame?
When asked how this standoff might end, Sideman was direct: “One way or another, militarily or voluntarily, it will end with the elimination or at least a significant rollback of the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile program.”
According to Sideman, this is not a matter of diplomacy alone—it’s a matter of survival.
“If we do not eliminate the nuclear program, it will eliminate us,” he said.
Highlighting Past Aggression from Iran
Sideman also reminded viewers of Iran’s continued threats toward Israel.
He stated that Iran remains the only United Nations member that has openly and repeatedly called for the destruction of another country.
To prove its intent, Sideman said Iran launched more than 400 rockets and drones at Israel over the past year—without provocation.