Araghchi Accuses Netanyahu of Manipulating US Into War With Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of manipulating the United States into war with Iran, describing him as a “serpent” who deliberately influenced US policymakers and public opinion to advance Israel’s interests. In a post on X on Monday, Araghchi pointed to what he described as a striking difference between Netanyahu’s Hebrew and English remarks concerning the conflict with Iran.

Araghchi said Netanyahu openly acknowledged in Hebrew that he had persuaded the US administration to confront Iran on Israel’s behalf. He also highlighted Netanyahu’s claim that he had “influenced” American public opinion through nearly 1,000 hours of appearances on US television networks. According to Araghchi, Netanyahu’s Hebrew-language remarks reveal a deliberate effort to shape Washington’s approach to Iran, while his English-language statements present the US president’s role in a more favorable light.

Netanyahu said on Israel’s Channel 14 on Sunday that he had been dealing with the Iranian issue for nearly four decades. He claimed that it took him years to convince Israel’s security establishment to directly confront Iran and later to persuade the United States to adopt the same approach. Netanyahu attributed his ability to influence American perceptions partly to his extensive presence on US television, saying he had accumulated nearly 1,000 hours of airtime. Araghchi seized on the remarks as evidence of Netanyahu’s efforts to manipulate American political decision-making and portray Israel’s agenda as US strategic policy.