In recent days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood once again beside former U.S. President Donald Trump, echoing a familiar and dangerous refrain: that Iran must be dealt with using the same measures that led to the destruction of Libya. With grave expressions and dire warnings, Netanyahu invoked the so-called “Libya model” — a policy that culminated not in peace, but in chaos, civil war, and the death of a sovereign leader.

But for all the posturing about nuclear threats and regional stability, one cannot help but ask: who is the real aggressor in the Middle East?

Libya as a Warning — Not a Model

In 2003, Libya agreed to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction programs in exchange for improved relations with the West. Yet less than a decade later, NATO, led by the U.S. and key Western allies, bombed Libya into the abyss under the guise of humanitarian intervention. The country that once aspired to regional leadership was left in ruins, transformed into a hotbed of extremism, human trafficking, and lawlessness.

Netanyahu now wants Iran to accept the same fate.

He dresses his demands in the language of diplomacy, but make no mistake — this is a call for regime change. It is the continuation of a campaign to dismantle any regional power that dares to resist Western and Israeli dominance.

A History Netanyahu Ignores

Iran is not Libya. Iran is a sovereign nation with a long and proud history, and crucially, a government that came to power after overthrowing a U.S.- and Israeli-backed monarchy in 1979. That revolution was not merely a shift in leadership — it was a seismic rejection of foreign interference. The Islamic Republic of Iran has since refused to become a client state of the West or Israel, and for this reason, it has been relentlessly targeted, sanctioned, and demonized.

Netanyahu’s latest comments, painting Iran as a nuclear-obsessed villain, ignore that Iran has repeatedly stated — and shown — that it does not seek nuclear weapons. The U.S. intelligence community itself has acknowledged this. Meanwhile, Israel, the only nuclear power in the region, remains outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and refuses international inspections of its arsenal.

Who Is Destabilizing the Middle East?

Under Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has:

  • Launched hundreds of airstrikes in Syria.
  • Maintained an illegal and brutal occupation of Palestinian territories.
  • Engaged in covert operations and assassinations across the region.
  • Continually lobbied the U.S. to launch or escalate wars in Iraq, Syria, and now Iran.

The true destabilizer is not Iran — a country that has not invaded another nation in over two centuries — but the alliance of Israel and its Western backers, who routinely flout international law under the pretense of “security.”

Netanyahu’s obsession with Iran must be viewed not through the lens of peace, but power. His rhetoric is not about protecting Israelis or promoting democracy; it’s about eliminating a sovereign actor that refuses to bow to Israeli and Western hegemony.

A New Strategic Reality: Russia and Iran

In a move that underscores the changing geopolitical tides, Russia has just ratified a key strategic treaty with Iran, formalizing a growing alliance that aims to counterbalance Western influence in the region. This partnership includes military cooperation, energy development, and mutual defense arrangements. For Israel and the U.S., this is a nightmare scenario. For Iran and many in the Global South, it is a sign of a multipolar world taking shape.

This strategic realignment is a direct result of decades of Western aggression, sanctions, and failed regime change attempts. As the old empire declines, new partnerships rise — and they are not bound by the colonial logic Netanyahu represents.

Conclusion: Netanyahu’s True Motives

Why is Netanyahu so focused on Iran?

Because Iran is independent. Because Iran supports Palestinian resistance. Because Iran refuses to normalize with Israel without justice. And because Iran, alongside allies like Russia and China, threatens to unravel the unipolar world order that has enabled Western and Israeli impunity for decades.

When Netanyahu invokes Libya, he’s not offering a solution — he’s issuing a threat. A threat that the world has heard before, and one that led only to destruction. It is time the world stopped listening to those who cry wolf while lighting fires behind the scenes.

Iran, unlike the shattered states left in the wake of Western interventions, still stands — proud, defiant, and not alone.