All the times Netanyahu has said Iran is close to developing nuclear weapons in the last 30 years

Netanyahu's rhetoric

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

The recent tensions between Israel and Iran, highlighted by attacks on nuclear facilities and hundreds of casualties, have revived the narrative that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pursued for at least three decades: that Iran is “really close” to developing nuclear weapons.

Since 1995

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

The warning from Netanyahu has been going on since 1995 and has been often repeated over the years in public speeches and diplomatic talks.

A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

The Daily Show highlighted this by publishing an ironic video on its official X account that collects all of Netanyahu's statements from the last thirty years, starting from the last one on June 12, 2025.

Credit: X / The Daily Show

Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

In 1995 Netanyahu declared: "Iran is three to five years away from being able to produce a nuclear weapon."

250 bombs in a decade

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

A few years later, in 2006, during a speech on CNN he said: "Iran is preparing to produce 25 atomic bombs a year, 250 bombs in a decade."

'Messianic and apocalyptic cult'

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

In 2010, in an interview with The Atlantic, he called the Iranian regime a "messianic and apocalyptic cult", arguing that a country like Iran should not be allowed to have control over nuclear weapons.

The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

Six years later, in 2012, referring to the design of the atomic bomb, he argued in a speech to the UN that "by next spring” they would have “completed the medium phase and will move on to the final phase," Al Jazeera reported.

A recurring alert

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

In 2015, during the speech to the US Congress, against the JCPOA agreement, he declared: "This agreement will not reduce Iran's nuclear program, it will legitimize it", as reported by The New Yorker.

'They have the means to do it'

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

In 2018, he raised the alarm with another threatening statement. "They have the means, the accumulated and preserved knowledge to build a bomb very quickly, if they wanted to do it," he told CNN that year.

A dangerous rhetoric

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

In light of what has just been observed, Netanyahu's rhetoric  seems to resemble a strategy more than a prediction, a way to stoke fear in people so that he can justify Israel’s attacks on Iran while avoiding public criticism.

A top nuclear power themselves

Netanyahu's rhetoric, Since 1995, A recollection of all of Netanyahu’s statements, Nuclear weapons before the year 2000?, 250 bombs in a decade, 'Messianic and apocalyptic cult', The 2012 Atomic Bomb Drawing, A recurring alert, 'They have the means to do it', A dangerous rhetoric, A top nuclear power themselves

Moreover, Israel is widely believed to have nuclear weapons with experts estimating about 100-200 warheads, according to a BBC  article, although Israel has never confirmed nor denied that they are a nuclear-armed state.

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