Netanyahu's Decades-Long Warning: Iran's Nuclear Threat - A 30-Year Retrospective

JERUSALEM - For three decades, Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently warned the international community about Iran's nuclear ambitions, repeatedly stating that the Islamic Republic is on the brink of developing atomic weapons. A recent video compilation highlights these pronouncements, tracing a timeline from 1995 to 2025, where Netanyahu, in various capacities, has emphasized the imminent threat. In 1995, as Israeli Opposition Leader, Netanyahu declared that Iran would be capable of producing nuclear bombs within three to five years. By 2006, he asserted that Iran was gearing up to produce 25 atomic bombs a year, totaling 250 bombs in a decade. In 2012, he claimed Iran was 'six months away' from having enough enriched uranium for an atom bomb, a statement made during an interview with IBTimes. His warnings continued in 2015, where he stated Iran was 'weeks away' from having the fissile material for an 'entire arsenal of nuclear bombs.' Most recently, on June 12, 2025, Netanyahu reiterated on Fox News that 'If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be a year, it could be within a few months.' This recurring theme in Netanyahu's rhetoric underscores Israel's long-standing concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program and its potential implications for regional stability, despite international assessments, such as the IAEA's 2018 report, indicating no evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program after 2009.