Nicosia, Cyprus. Israel’s ambassador to Cyprus, Oren Anolik, said Iran’s nuclear and ballistic capabilities have been significantly degraded by US-Israeli strikes but not entirely eliminated as the conflict spreads across multiple theatres in the region.
Objectives of Israel’s campaign
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, Anolik outlined three objectives behind Israel’s campaign: dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, degrading its ballistic missile capabilities, and creating conditions in which “the Iranian people can decide their own fate.”
“We are not seeking to create regime change from air strikes,” he said, adding that this has not been an explicit goal of Israel.
Strikes on nuclear facilities
Anolik said American and Israeli strikes in June targeted key nuclear facilities, including at Natanz and Isfahan, describing the attacks as “a coordinated effort to disrupt Iran’s military nuclear programme.”
He said the issue of enriched uranium remains unresolved.
Enriched uranium and underground stockpiles
Anolik said enriched uranium is a central concern, noting that producing weapons-grade uranium, at 90 per cent enrichment, could take only a few days from a stockpile enriched to around 60 per cent.
He said Israel assesses Iran’s overall nuclear capability has been delayed and “set back by at least a year,” while cautioning that “deeply buried stockpiles” in Iran’s mountainous terrain still pose a risk depending on the strategy the regime intends to implement.
Intelligence assessments and allegations
Anolik said Israeli and US intelligence assessments align, particularly regarding Iran’s efforts to move critical infrastructure underground.
He alleged that since 2003 Iran has conducted clandestine nuclear testing under the ‘AMAD project’ while presenting it as civilian energy activity and pursuing military capabilities.
He said Iran has threatened neighbours and exported ideology and terrorism through proxies including Hezbollah and Hamas.
What impact do you think unresolved enriched uranium stockpiles could have on regional security?