It remains unclear whether Israel has successfully dismantled Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, according to Gedaliah Blum, co-founder of the Heartland Initiative.
“The questions are still up in the air,” he told ILTV News on Insider. “We don't know. We don't have anybody on the ground. We just heard reports that the head of the Iranian nuclear program is already talking about rebuilding and assessing the damage. So that's one indication we're just kicking the can down the road.”
Blum added that it's too soon to feel confident.
“It is too early to be optimistic at this point. We have to be more of a cynic, because we don't have the option of being wrong here.”
While questions about the long-term impact of Israel's actions remain, others are emphasizing the importance of diplomacy over continued fighting.
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Olga Deutch, vice president of NGO Monitor, said ending the war now is the right move—and that resolution should come through political channels.
“At the end of the day, we live in a 21st Century where all wars end around the political table,” Deutch said. “No war is a zero sum game. I think it's important to say that historically, Israel is not good at long wars.”
She noted that while Israel could have continued militarily, diplomatic considerations are just as crucial.
“The question is, have we achieved enough according to the pre-defined assessments and plans in order to set their program back enough to basically neutralize them and marginalize their capacity,” Deutch explained. “Is Tehran still the most dangerous destabilizer in the Middle East and the biggest sponsor of terror, or are they now completely embarrassed on the global scene?”
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Insider 24.06.2025
(Credit: ILTV)
