Iran is currently harboring centrifuges at Pickaxe Mountain there, a senior diplomatic source told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
According to the source, Israel does not believe Iran’s nuclear program has been completely destroyed.
“The goal is how to bring the nuclear program to an end,” the source said, adding that Israel targeted nuclear scientists, enrichment facilities, centrifuges, and other infrastructure, successfully setting the program back – “but not forever.”
“There are centrifuges at Pickaxe Mountain where enrichment is currently taking place,” the source stressed, noting that Israel would not hesitate to act again against any attempt to rebuild Iran’s nuclear program or its ballistic missile array.
The source also revealed information regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Tuesday meeting with US President Donald Trump, sharing that the prime minister presented maps aimed at curbing calls for Israeli withdrawal from Syrian territory.
The maps, the source said, showed that Turkey controls about 5% of Syrian territory, while Israel controls only about 0.1%. Netanyahu argued that Israel’s presence is intended to counter threats from Iran, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist organizations.
“Sometimes the president has certain assumptions, and if you don’t change them, they become fixed,” the source said, explaining that this was one of the reasons Netanyahu chose to present the information visually.
Although Syria was discussed, the source said it served primarily as an introduction to the central topic of the meeting: Iran. Most of the conversation focused on how to address the Islamic Republic following the significant blow to its nuclear program.
Trump is currently weighing three possible courses of action, the source said: pursuing a new agreement, maintaining and intensifying economic pressure and sanctions, or escalating military action.
“This was not a meeting where we came to check a box,” the source said. “It was a genuine consultation in which each of the options was examined on its merits.”
Describing Iran’s current situation, the source argued that the regime is under mounting economic pressure, citing shortages of gas and fuel, long lines at gas stations, severe inflation, and local protests. Tehran’s greatest concern, according to the source, is an economic collapse that could trigger widespread public unrest.
The source added that if Iran attacks Israel, as it is currently doing against neighboring countries and Jordan, Israel will respond directly.
Additionally, while discussing the possibility of pursuing an agreement with Iran’s leader, the source confirmed the Mojtaba Khamenei, while absent from the spotlight, is alive.
“He is essentially completely absent, but he exists,” the source said.
Israel’s financial independence from the US
The source also shared that Netanyahu plans to spearhead the effort toward Israel’s financial independence and independent weapons production, with the goal of moving beyond financial aid in 10 years’ time.
“Israel is grateful for every cent, but the state wants to move from assistance to partnership,” the source said
Within that framework, the source said, there are two existing components: Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and ballistic missile defense (BMD). FMF is essentially a system of providing funds for purchases, while BMD should evolve from conventional assistance into a true partnership. A third component would involve genuine joint development projects designed to meet the defense needs of both countries.
Netanyahu pushed for private meeting with Vance at Blair house
One of the more noteworthy meetings took place on Tuesday evening, when Netanyahu met privately with US Vice President JD Vance at Blair House.
The meeting was requested by the prime minister, according to the source.
“It was a good, honest and genuine conversation,” the source said, declining to elaborate on its contents.
The remarks came in response to a Post question about Netanyahu’s relationship with Vance, who has recently criticized Netanyahu’s coalition and, to some extent, the prime minister himself. Vance is now considered one of the most influential figures in the Trump administration and a potential future leader of the Republican Party.
The source also said Netanyahu presented Trump with what he described as a new strategic vision for US-Israel relations.
Under that vision, Israel hopes that within roughly a decade the American Foreign Military Financing program will be phased out and replaced with a model of full partnership in weapons development, research, technology, and the defense industries.
The goal, the source said, is for Israel to move from being a recipient of US assistance to becoming a full partner in developing the military capabilities of both countries.
Relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also came up during the meeting. Netanyahu told Trump that Erdogan is seeking to expand Turkey’s regional influence and is acting against Israel, the source said.
The discussion also included what the source described as a lighthearted exchange, during which Netanyahu succeeded in convincing Trump that the two disagree over US arms sales to Turkey.
Saudi Arabia tensions and broader regional challenges
The leaders also discussed developments involving Saudi Arabia and broader regional challenges.
Addressing Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial, the source reiterated a position long associated with the prime minister’s circle, saying Netanyahu never raises the issue in conversations with the US president.
“He never brings it up,” the source said, adding that Trump is the one who raises the matter on his own initiative. According to the source, the president again mentioned it in passing to participants during the current visit.
The source also addressed the erosion of support for Israel in the United States, arguing that the war in Gaza and social media campaigns are the primary drivers.
Some of those campaigns, the source claimed, are backed by Qatar, China, and Russia in an effort to undermine both Israel and its strategic alliance with the United States.
Despite public criticism, the source said, Israel continues to maintain contacts and cooperation with a range of countries, including Arab states, which view Israel as an important security and technological partner.
