Huckabee: No Shift in Iran's Hostility Toward US, Israel as Trump Keeps Military Option Open
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee pushed back against speculation that Iran's leadership has softened its stance, telling The Jerusalem Post in an interview published Wednesday that the Trump administration sees no evidence of a shift in Tehran's hostile posture toward Washington and Jerusalem.
“I don’t think so. I don’t think we’re seeing a change of attitude,” Huckabee said, directly rejecting the notion that so-called “pragmatic new guys” in Iran could steer the regime away from its long-standing anti-American and anti-Israeli trajectory.
The remarks come weeks after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at de-escalating regional tensions and laying groundwork for broader negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program. But Huckabee made clear that the administration remains skeptical about Iran's intentions.
“President Trump's been incredibly clear that he'll stay with his commitment that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” Huckabee said. “They're not going to be able to be a continued threat to Israel and the United States.”
The ambassador stressed that while the White House continues to favor a negotiated solution, military options have not been taken off the table. “If not, the president has made it clear, he keeps all of his options on the table,” he added.
Western intelligence agencies have long argued that Iran's uranium enrichment program could enable the production of a nuclear weapon, an accusation Tehran has consistently denied. Iranian officials insist the program is aimed solely at peaceful civilian energy, but Washington, Israel and other allies say Iran has failed to provide sufficient transparency about its ultimate objectives.
Huckabee’s comments underscore the persistent mistrust that defines U.S.-Iran relations, even as diplomatic channels remain open. The Trump administration’s dual-track approach — engagement paired with a credible military threat — reflects a strategy that has drawn both praise from hawks and criticism from advocates of deeper diplomacy.
On a separate front, Huckabee hailed a recently announced U.S.-brokered framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, describing it as a historic breakthrough. “I was right in the middle of it for five different meetings,” he said. “I think it is historic.”
The agreement, which outlines steps toward ending hostilities between the two neighbors and calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, has been celebrated by U.S. and Israeli officials. However, Hezbollah leaders and key Lebanese political figures aligned with the Iran-backed group have rejected it.
Huckabee expressed confidence that the Lebanese government would follow through on its commitments. “Absolutely, I do,” he said. “They came with the desire to make this work.”
He also defended Israel's right to self-defense, asserting that any Hezbollah threat would justify military action. “They absolutely have a right to defend themselves,” Huckabee said. “If Hezbollah threatens Israel or its people, they have every right to seek to stop it, and that is not a violation of the ceasefire or anything else.”
The ambassador said the framework agreement effectively blocked Iran from exerting greater influence over the negotiations. “It preempted the Iranians from thinking they could control this process,” Huckabee said, adding that all parties recognized that “the enemy is the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.”
Analysts see the Lebanon deal as a potential model for wider regional stability, though its implementation remains uncertain given Hezbollah’s military capabilities and political leverage. The broader U.S.-Iran standoff — rooted in decades of animosity and competing interests across the Middle East — shows no signs of easing, and Huckabee’s latest comments suggest the administration views any talk of Iranian moderation as premature at best.
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