The next is the transcript of the interview with Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on April 12, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re joined now by Israel’s ambassador to america, Dr. Michael Leiter. Good morning and welcome again to this system.
DR. MICHAEL LEITER: Good morning, Margaret, good to be with you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Israel and the US have been lockstep on this conflict thus far. You heard the vp kind of depart the door open to diplomacy, however President Trump additionally stated this morning, the US is locked and loaded for an acceptable second. Is it your understanding that Israel and the US will maintain fireplace till the tip of this two week ceasefire?
MICHAEL LEITER: We’ve got to keep in mind that the President has been relentless in pursuing an finish to this disaster via talks. That is the talks preceded the June conflict, talks preceded epic fury, the talks are occurring now, and I feel that if we will conclude this disaster with Iran, with this regime, this tyrannical regime, that is pursuing nuclear weapons with out going again into kinetic exercise, it might most likely be finest for everybody. The president continues to pursue that. However proper now they noticed nose to nose, the vp sat reverse this fellow, Qalibaf, who’s immediately chargeable for the homicide of his personal individuals simply in January, this previous January, and simply noticed how stubborn and obstinate they’re in pursuit of nuclear weapons.
MARGARET BRENNAN: While you stated the talks are nonetheless occurring, are there – is there any stage of US-Iran contact at this level?
MICHAEL LEITER: Nicely, you understand, the President gave the problem two weeks, and we’re simply into the tip of the primary week, so there’s one other week left for the potential for continued talks. We, we all know the Iranians. We all know this regime. We do not suppose they are going anyplace, but it surely’s necessary to provide it an opportunity.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Vance stated, we have to see Iran give affirmative dedication to not search a nuclear weapon, or the instruments that may allow them to rapidly obtain a nuclear weapon. Is your understanding that the US place is zero enrichment or are they nonetheless leaving the door open that Iran may have a civil-civilian nuclear program for medical functions?
MICHAEL LEITER: Civilian nuclear program would not entail enrichment. There are 57 international locations with a civilian nuclear program that do not have enrichment.
MARGARET BRENNAN: — However they need a bit bit, you understand that.
MICHAEL LEITER: No, no, if they’ve a bit bit then they will have loads to maneuver from 60% which they’d, to 90%. Look, you do not construct these manufacturing crops deep underground should you’re doing it for medical functions, you don’t have anything to cover. These individuals lie. We should not be stunned when individuals who homicide their very own additionally lie. This has been their pursuit. They have been chanting for 47 years, dying to America, dying to Israel. That is their objective. Let’s not —
(CROSSTALK BEGINS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: — However we’re negotiating with that very same regime, proper now –
MICHAEL LEITER: — We’re attempting on the identical time so as to add we’re negotiating them –
MARGARET BRENNAN: — The exact same individuals.
(CROSSTALK ENDS)
MICHAEL LEITER: — We’re negotiating them, after eliminating their navy, after eliminating their air power, after degrading their management. Hopefully they’re going to come to their knees and say, we’re surrendering.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, the President has stated the conflict is received. Your Prime Minister stated the work will not be but full. Particularly, what a part of Iran nonetheless poses a army risk to Israel? Do you continue to think about it an existential risk?
MICHAEL LEITER: Nicely, there are three issues that we have now to be involved with from the start. Primary, the pursuit of a nuclear weapon, in the event that they return to that pursuit that considerations us —
MARGARET BRENNAN: — They are saying they don’t seem to be —
MICHAEL LEITER: Quantity two, ballistic missiles. Okay, these ballistic missiles, they promised, by the way in which, that they do not have a ballistic missile that would attain Europe. They lied. We noticed that they do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: — You are speaking about firing on Diego Garcia?
MICHAEL LEITER: The firing on Diego Garcia. They stated it was restricted to 2000 kilometers. We see now they have 4000 kilometers. It is only a dash to 8000 kilometers and to hit Chicago or 10 to fly to New Jersey. In order that has
MARGARET BRENNAN: — US intel says 9 years.
MICHAEL LEITER: — and proxy, effectively, our intel says lower than 9 years. Okay,
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Yeah.
MICHAEL LEITER: And our Intel has been correct on this from the very starting. Okay? Now it was clear we stated that they are in a dash to realize nuclear weapons. And Mr. Witkoff got here again from the talks beforehand and stated they got here in, they walked into negotiations, stated, we have 60% prepared for 11 bombs. 11 bombs at 60% signifies that you bought every week or two till you bought 90% and weapon grade. And the very last thing Margaret, are the proxies. Okay, this is not over till there’s a full de-linkage between Iran and its proxies which have unfold dying, mayhem and destruction across the Center East.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to come again to that in regard to Hezbollah. However simply to complete what you are speaking about with intelligence, there was this extremely detailed New York Occasions report this previous week, I do know you learn it, extraordinary journalism. That detailed this February 11 assembly the place your prime minister pitched President Trump on bombing Iran. It stated the Israeli plan was to kill the Ayatollah, achieved. Cripple Iran’s capability to threaten its neighbors, spur a preferred rebellion in Iran, after which conduct regime change, leaving in place a secular chief. Clearly, all these targets weren’t achieved. Are you able to declare an finish to the conflict with out reaching that guidelines?
MICHAEL LEITER: To start with, all of these targets haven’t been achieved, but. This can be a course of. This is not immediate soup, primary. Quantity two, I used to be within the room at that assembly. The journalists who wrote that article weren’t and apparently they acquired the knowledge second, third hand, there’s an terrible lot in that article which merely is not true. Which is a story that is being created, fascinating narrative, however not correct. So I might be very cautious about quoting from that individual article.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, particularly, what, what did they get fallacious? As a result of they are saying your intelligence providers, the Mossad argued the Iranian regime can be so weak it couldn’t choke off the Strait of Hormuz. That was fallacious. Iran would not have–
MICHAEL LEITER: No, no we did not argue that. We argued the potential that we have to work in direction of that, nothing was introduced as a reality, that if we do that, this would be the final result. It is not science, politics will not be science, army operations aren’t science. We introduced the case that that is what we predict ought to be achieved. The president comes to a decision. This entire factor concerning the prime minister coming in and dragging the president into this, it is – all you understand for publicity functions.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did Mossad consider that there can be protests that may overthrow the regime and that Kurdish fighters would enter via the north?
MICHAEL LEITER: The Mossad thought that, as we noticed in January, lots of of 1000’s and tens of millions of individuals stand up, the potential for that occuring once more is even larger now, and we nonetheless suppose it’s extremely nice. We nonetheless suppose we may, that would materialize over the subsequent couple of months however there isn’t any assure –
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Then why negotiate with the identical regime that’s suppressing these individuals?
MICHAEL LEITER: Nicely, you may negotiate
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Is Israel actually actually supportive of this diplomacy?
MICHAEL LEITER: You possibly can negotiate – we’re supportive of the president and his efforts. Okay, we have been in lockstep from the start within the planning, within the implementation, and we will finish this factor collectively as effectively. So we’re utterly supportive of the president’s efforts, each diplomatically and militarily.
MARGARET BRENNAN: On the proxies, the Jerusalem Put up at this time is writing that Israel’s conflict in Lebanon is the worth to pay for Iran reopening Hormuz. The Israeli offensive towards Hezbollah, and for our viewers, they’re a political get together in Lebanon they usually are also Iran’s strongest militia and proxy power. They’ve sophisticated issues right here. The Trump administration is holding talks Tuesday in Washington. You will be on the desk with the ambassador from Lebanon. Hezbollah will not be a part of these talks. In that lead up, is Israel going to pause, scale back the strikes on Lebanon?
MICHAEL LEITER: If I can, some extent of correction, Hezbollah is a terrorist group
MARGARET BRENNAN: — It’s.
MICHAEL LEITER: — which can also be a political get together. It is not a political get together which additionally has a terrorist wing. They’re a terrorist group. They are a proxy of Iran,
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Sure.
MICHAEL LEITER: — which has an agenda of destroying the state of Israel,
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Sure.
MICHAEL LEITER: — They usually fireplace missiles into our cities and villages
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Sure.
MICHAEL LEITER: And we have now to reply. Now, we need to negotiate with Lebanon. Lebanon and Israel can dwell in peace tomorrow. I consider, you understand, we had this preliminary telephone name on Friday. It was a convention name, myself –
MARGARET BRENNAN: — You and the Lebanese ambassador,
MICHAEL LEITER: The Lebanese ambassador, the US Ambassador to Beirut, all moderated by the State Division official Mike Needham. It was an awesome dialog. And the factor all of us agreed upon, that, if there was, if we simply put Hezbollah on the aspect and simply Israel and Lebanon negotiate peace. Two months, three months, we have a whole peace settlement.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me simply observe up, you stated Israel has to reply. That is totally different in relation to responding to a strike from Hezbollah versus the form of bombing that we noticed this previous week, significantly on Wednesday. The air strikes killed greater than 350 those who day, a 3rd of them, ladies and kids and the aged in response to the Lebanese well being ministry. The vp stated Israel had agreed to verify itself with these strikes. And the President stated he spoke with Bibi, your prime minister, and he stated he will low-key it. Are you able to clarify what low key bombing means? Is that this a diminished cadence and quantity of strikes from Wednesday. What precisely did the US and Israel comply with?
MICHAEL LEITER: Cut back cadence, up cadence. Operational points aren’t mentioned on Sunday morning on tv.
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Nicely the president did
MICHAEL LEITER: — Nicely, what we, we mentioned is that we will be in tandem with the president’s efforts within the gulf, and we assist the president’s efforts. Proper now, we’re pursuing those that are capturing missiles towards our civilians, and the operation Wednesday was focused towards operation facilities of Hezbollah. Now, what they do?
MARGARET BRENNAN: — You dispute these Lebanese Authorities figures?
MICHAEL LEITER: Completely. Oh, after all, it is like Hamas releasing figures from Gaza, their well being ministry,
MARGARET BRENNAN: — However you are negotiating with the Lebanese authorities
MICHAEL LEITER: Completely, completely. However the, typically, there’s this try to color us as, you understand, going after civilians. We’re going after in a focused vogue, the terrorist infrastructure. That is what we deal with. Now what they do Margaret, is that they put their operation facilities, their terrorist facilities, amongst civilians. Now we inform them to get out. They do not at all times get out, however we do what we will. Hamas does this in Gaza by constructing their bases inside civilian facilities. Hezbollah does it, and we noticed the opposite day the place Tehran despatched their civilians out to the bridges and the – vitality crops so they would not be, this can be a crime towards humanity.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, you’ve your personal diplomacy on Tuesday, we can be looking ahead to that and what occurs. Thanks on your time this morning.
MICHAEL LEITER: Thanks
MARGARET BRENNAN: Be proper again.
