Steve Witkoff has warned that Israel faces an existential threat from Iran if Tehran succeeds in developing nuclear weapons, AzerNEWS reports.
Speaking in an interview with CNBC, the US envoy described Israel as a “one-bomb country,” arguing that even a single nuclear strike could destroy the state.
Witkoff stressed that both the United States and Israel remain determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, warning that confronting Donald Trump would be a serious miscalculation for Tehran.
“President Trump is the wrong guy to go up against, that's what I know. He has drawn a red line, and that is that Iran cannot have a weapon. And yes, they say they don't want one, but all of their actions indicate the exact opposite,” Witkoff said.
He also emphasized the vulnerability of Israel’s geography and size in the context of nuclear deterrence.
“Israel is a one-bomb country. One bomb takes them out. And that's why it's so existential to Israel,” he stated.
Witkoff further argued that Iran’s actions in the region are undermining its support among neighboring states.
“But we can also see now, with this offensive missile shield that Iran had to, in other words, protect the nuclear effort, and what it's doing, the havoc that it's raising out there with Middle Eastern countries,” he said.
According to the envoy, Tehran’s regional activities are increasingly isolating the country diplomatically.
“What they're doing is basically degrading. Any support they had in the region has been substantially degraded, because nobody wants them as a neighbor. Who would want this sort of activity?” Witkoff added.
