Overthrowing Islamic Republic Is Only Way To Eliminate Iran Nuclear Threat, Netanyahu Says

JERUSALEM: Overthrowing the Islamic Republic is the only way to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday, accusing Tehran of trying to revive its nuclear program.

Speaking at a military officers' graduation ceremony, Netanyahu said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had decided to follow in his father's footsteps and had "pulled the pin."

 "There is only one way to remove this threat: toppling the regime in Iran," Netanyahu said.

 The remarks mark a sharp escalation in Israeli rhetoric, directly calling for regime change in Tehran at a time when diplomatic efforts involving the United States, Russia, and Iran are ongoing.

 Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, though it has accelerated enrichment following the US-Israeli war earlier this year.

 There was no immediate response from Tehran to Netanyahu's latest comments.