Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Tuesday that recent Israeli and American actions against Iran had set the regime’s pursuit of nuclear weapons “many years back.”
Speaking alongside his Lithuanian counterpart, Kestutis Budrys, at a press conference in Vilnius, Sa’ar stressed that Israel’s 12-day “Operation Rising Lion,” which targeted the “head of the snake” in Iran, as well as many other actions taken by Jerusalem since the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, “contribute directly and significantly to the security of Europe.”
His remarks echoed those made on Monday in Jerusalem with Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, the first foreign minister to visit the Jewish state since the Iranian operation.
While Sa’ar emphasized that Iran’s ballistic missile capability—damaged by Israel—could threaten Europe, and that the Iranian drone supply degraded in the Israeli strikes is the same one used against Ukraine, he broadened the perspective, framing it as a “broader struggle between the free world and the radical axis of terror—led by Iran and its proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis of Yemen, the Shi’a militias in Iraq and Palestinian terror gangs in Judea and Samaria. And the axis is supported by the authoritarian bloc: China, Russia and North Korea.”
Sa’ar said that Israel is serious about reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza, having already accepted the proposal from U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, but pointed out that Hamas has rejected it.
“This war can end any day—if Hamas releases our hostages and lays down its arms,” Sa’ar stated.
Directing his comments at the Baltic state, Sa’ar said, “Israel has much to contribute to Lithuania, and we want to cooperate on trade, economy and hi-tech, as well as security through our knowledge, experience, technology and military equipment.”
He concluded with gratitude for Vilnius standing with the Jewish state “in our most difficult hour,” while stressing that Lithuania’s strong support was still needed on the international stage.
“Let us further strengthen the bonds between our nations—for the sake of a better, safer, and more prosperous future for us all,” said Sa’ar.