Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a “true diplomat,” thanked the G7 countries for condemning Iran for supplying missiles to “someone,” but managed not to name “who.”

The corresponding statement, entitled “Statement by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz: “The Iranian threat is not only aimed at Israel, but at the entire world» posted on the website of the Israeli Foreign Ministry September 15, 2024.

We quote it in full:

“I congratulate the G7 Foreign Ministers on their strong condemnation of Iran for the transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles that now threaten Ukraine and Europe, and on their decision to take further significant action against Iran.

The G7 foreign ministers are now saying what I have made clear in the past: Iran is the greatest enemy not only of Israel, not only of the Middle East, but of Europe and the entire world.

We cannot afford to be deceived by Iranian lies. The new Iranian president and the new Iranian foreign minister continue to pursue the old policy of Iran's true leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – the long-standing and outrageous policy of exporting the “Islamic Revolution” and spreading missiles, terrorism and violence around the world.

I call on Canada, Japan and Italy to follow the lead of the United States and the EU3 and impose additional sanctions against Iran.

I will continue to work with the European Union and other countries to persuade them to also impose sweeping sanctions on Iran and to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as the world's largest terrorist organization.

Israel is the first target of Iranian aggression, but this threat is not only directed at Israel, but at the entire world. The world must unite to stop Iran now, before it is too late.”

Israel Katz's statement was “carefully crafted” with an emphasis on “diplomatic caution” and a multi-layered message aimed at multiple target audiences.

Firstly, He thanks the G7 countries for condemning Iran, but deliberately avoids directly naming Russia as the final recipient of Iranian missiles..

This highlights “diplomatic flexibility”where Katz, while acknowledging the importance of Western support, does not focus on Russia so as not to cause “additional tension” in other areas.

The statement also seeks to reinforce the perception of Iran as a global threat, not limited to a threat to Israel. Importantly, Katz uses the term “the greatest enemy not only of Israel, but of Europe and the entire world,” in an attempt to draw the attention of the world community to the need for collective efforts against Iran.

Ayatollah Khamenei's political legacy is also mentioned to highlight the continuity and aggressive nature of Iranian foreign policy, which Israel believes remains unchanged even with a change of presidents. This is aimed at showing Western leaders that the ongoing negotiations with Iran cannot change the nature of the threat.

In calling for further sanctions, Katz seeks to create a united front, strengthening Israel's position on the international stage by showing that its position on Iran is not just national but global.

Israel Katz's statement can be seen as a telling example of diplomatic duality. Despite its obvious condemnation of Iran, it avoids directly mentioning Russia as a recipient of Iranian missiles, which looks like a deliberate understatement. In a situation where Russia is actively using Iranian missiles for aggression against Ukraine, such diplomatic caution is perceived more as an attempt not to aggravate relations with the Kremlin than as a real readiness to confront genuine threats.

This creates a sense of evasiveness and lack of directness, which undermines the credibility of the statement as a serious step in international politics.Instead of directly naming Russia, Katz chooses vague wording, which could be perceived as a fear of worsening relations with the Kremlin.

In the context of the global crisis, such The tactic not only diminishes the value of the statements, but can also be seen as Israel's unwillingness to take a tougher stance against states that support aggression.

What came before

On Saturday, September 14, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, as well as the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, issued a statement saying that Tehran continues to supply weapons to Moscow despite numerous calls from the international community to stop doing so.We remain committed to holding Iran accountable for its unacceptable support for Russia's illegal war in Ukraine, which further undermines global security.“, the statement said.