By Ayushi Agarwal

New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): Highlighting the strategic objectives of the ongoing military operations, Ambassador of Israel to India, Reuven Azar, stated that the primary goal is to eliminate systemic threats posed by the Iranian regime while providing an opportunity for the Iranian people to determine their own future.

On being asked about Israel's endgame, in an interview with ANI, Azar said, 'We said very clearly at the outset, and everybody can quote me, because I said it multiple times on Indian media, that we want to remove the existential threats that the regime in Iran has created against us -- the nuclear program, the ballistic missile program, their support for the proxies -- and we want to give the Iranian people an opportunity to embrace their future, if they choose to do so, by degrading the mechanisms of oppression of the Iranian regime.'

He noted that significant progress has been made in weakening the regime's offensive capabilities over the course of the conflict. 'We are not sure that is going to happen, but for sure, what we have achieved so far is a very substantial debilitation of the Iranian regime's capability to hit us and to continue the aggression that has been going on for the last 47 years. So we have achieved already a substantial debilitation, and we are continuing with this operation until either there will be a culmination that has to do with an agreement between the regime and the United States that will ensure our interest for the long term, or that we will continue the operation until we get to the conclusion that our military targets were fulfilled,' the Ambassador added.

Addressing Israeli PM Netanyahu's recent statement that strikes on Iran and Lebanon will continue, Azar emphasised that military necessity dictates the continuation of the campaign. 'We are continuing the operation because we still have military targets, both over Iran and especially in Lebanon, as a result of Hezbollah's continuation of the attacks against us. They are firing missiles and rockets against Israel. They started unilaterally, and they should know that this is completely unacceptable. We will do whatever we need in order to defend ourselves,' he stated.

The Ambassador further clarified that shifts in US tactical decisions regarding specific targets do not signal an end to Israel's broader military objectives. 'So, the fact that the President of the United States has temporarily decided not to fulfil the threat of hitting energy targets doesn't mean that we won't continue targeting military targets as we are doing,' he noted.

Regarding the possibility of an off-ramp deal where Iran might retain its nuclear and missile capabilities, Azar maintained that there would be no compromise on core security demands. 'It is very clear, and the Americans have said that at the outset, even before the war started, during the negotiations, that they won't compromise on removing the enriched uranium out of Iran, and they won't compromise on curbing the Iranian ballistic missile program and the support for the proxies. So, the fact that some negotiations have started gives us the hope that this time, the Iranians will basically cooperate with the demands of the international community, and if they don't, the President always has the possibility to go back to fulfil his threat,' he explained.

Responding to US President Donald Trump's announcement of a five-day halt in attacks on Iran's energy facilities, the Ambassador viewed the development as a sign that external pressure is yielding results. 'It's a good development. I think that the fact that the Iranian regime has decided to engage in negotiations is a good development because they were refusing to do so until now; it means that the American and Israeli pressure is working, and they are actually looking for a way out,' he said.

On reports of Pakistan positioning itself as a mediator between the US-Israel and Iran, Azar suggested that the venue and mediator are secondary to the outcome. 'As long as our positions and our conditions are met, it's up to the United States to decide whether they want to do the negotiation here and there. I don't think it has much importance. At the end of the day, we are here in order to meet our interests, and as long as we continue to be in sync with the United States meeting its interests, we are satisfied,' he noted.

When asked if Israel would halt its operations against Iran while talks between the US and Iran are underway, he stated, 'That is what we are doing.' (ANI)