Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has warned that failing to confront Iran’s nuclear programme could result in a nuclear-armed state comparable to North Korea.
Speaking in a video posted by Piers Morgan on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Bennett defended the ongoing military campaign against Iran, arguing that it is necessary to prevent Tehran from becoming a full nuclear power.
Bennett said dismantling what he described as a terror network built over four decades is a complex process that cannot be completed quickly, but maintained that sustained military pressure is gradually weakening Iran’s capabilities.
“That’s no easy endeavor and you’re better off doing it early. Even that it’s not pleasant. And I’m not suggesting this is easy,” Bennett said.
“It’s not going easy, but you got to do it because if you don’t do it, you get a North Korea with nuclear bombs.”
He argued that Iran has spent decades building a regional network and warned that allowing the country to acquire nuclear weapons would significantly increase the threat it poses.
Bennett pointed to strikes on Iran’s Natanz and Fordow nuclear facilities as evidence that military action has slowed the country’s nuclear programme, although he acknowledged that Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium remain a concern.
During the interview, Piers Morgan questioned why Israel and the United States were still engaged in military operations months after previously claiming Iran’s nuclear programme had been set back by years.
In response, Bennett said campaigns against long-established systems require time and persistence. He compared the current effort to historical wartime operations that encountered setbacks before achieving their objectives.
According to Bennett, ending the campaign prematurely would allow Iran to rebuild its nuclear programme, creating a more dangerous security challenge for the region and the wider international community.
