Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted on Sunday that the conflict with Iran has not concluded, emphasizing that both the United States and Israel remain committed to curbing Tehran's nuclear ambitions. In a pre-recorded interview on CBS's "60 Minutes," Netanyahu stated, "There's still nuclear material, enriched uranium that has to be taken out of Iran... There is still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled, there's still proxies that Iran supports, there are ballistic missiles that they still want to produce ... there's work to be done." When questioned about the logistics of removing nuclear material, Netanyahu unequivocally responded, "You go in, and you take it out."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Jerusalem, March 19, 2026.
Ronen Zvulun | Reuters
Netanyahu's remarks precede President Donald Trump's scheduled visit to China later this week, where a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is anticipated. The ongoing conflict and Iran's subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz have led to a surge in global energy costs and a significant increase in U.S. gas prices.
Mediated negotiations in Pakistan between Washington and Tehran aimed at a peace deal are underway, but an agreement remains elusive. President Trump declared on Sunday that an Iranian counteroffer to a U.S. proposal to end the war was "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!" in a post on Truth Social.
Details of Iran's latest response to the U.S. proposal were revealed by The Wall Street Journal on Sunday. According to the report, Iran did not concede to U.S. demands concerning its nuclear program and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Instead, Tehran proposed separate nuclear negotiations, the dilution of some of its highly enriched uranium, and the transfer of the remainder to a third country, with the uranium to be returned to Iran if the U.S. withdraws from the deal.
Furthermore, the U.S. would lift its blockade on Iranian ports, while Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic in return. The U.S. insists on guarantees that Iran will cease its nuclear program as a condition for any peace agreement. While Iran reportedly agreed to suspend uranium enrichment, the proposed moratorium is for a shorter duration than the 20-year period stipulated by the U.S. The Journal also indicated that Iran rejected the dismantling of its nuclear facilities.
