'Iran must deal with US or face military consequences': Israeli envoy warns Tehran
Israel's Ambassador to India warns Tehran that failed attempts to disrupt global shipping will lead to direct military consequences if they don't deal with the US.
In a scathing assessment of Tehran's regional ambitions, Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has issued a stern ultimatum to the Iranian leadership. Speaking on Monday, the envoy warned that Iran must either reach a constructive agreement with the United States or prepare to face direct military consequences.
The warning comes amidst heightened tensions regarding Iran's attempts to disrupt international maritime trade and its ongoing support for various proxy groups across the Middle East.
Failed attempts to hijack global trade
Ambassador Azar highlighted that Iran's efforts to trigger a global energy crisis by targeting shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz have largely backfired. He noted that despite attempts to intimidate passing vessels, the international community's energy supplies have shown resilience.
"The Iranians have proven time and again that they are negotiating in bad faith," Azar stated. "Eventually, they will have to face reality: either come to terms with the United States or face the consequences militarily."
The envoy observed that while maritime traffic is not entirely without friction—as many companies remain hesitant to sail through the region due to sporadic attacks—the volume of oil flowing through the strait has stabilized at pre-war levels. He characterized this as a significant failure for Tehran's strategy of international extortion.
A lesson for 'tyrants' worldwide
Azar framed the failure of Iran's maritime disruptions as a broader message to any regime attempting to use destabilization as a tool for political gain. He suggested that the world is learning that extortion cannot be used to advance destructive policies.
"This is a very good lesson for all the tyrants in the world: they cannot simply try to advance their destructive policies by extorting others, policies of building weapons of mass destruction, taking over other countries, financing terrorist proxies and delivering weapons of mass destruction to them," the Ambassador remarked.
He further cautioned that the burden of these aggressive policies would ultimately fall on the Iranian citizens. He specifically pointed toward the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), suggesting that if their current path continues, the Iranian people will be the ones to suffer the most.
High-level US strategy meetings at Camp David
The Israeli envoy's comments coincide with intense, unpublicized deliberations within the United States government. Reports indicate that top national security aides recently held a marathon meeting at Camp David to discuss potential next steps in the conflict involving Iran and the Saudi-backed campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The high-level session, which was presided over by Vice President JD Vance, included several key figures:
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- US War Secretary Peter Hegseth
- White House envoy Steve Witkoff
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe
- Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine
While the White House has declined to issue an official statement regarding the meeting, the gathering underscores the gravity of the situation as the Trump administration weighs whether to re-engage in major combat operations. The diplomatic deadlock remains absolute, with President Donald Trump recently stating that a decisive choice lies ahead for Tehran: sign a deal or face total erasure.