Dr. Shmuel Katz: 'Iran's ideology makes diplomacy the biggest risk'

Dr. Shmuel Katz, a prominent Israel advocate and co-founder of the organization Stand With Us, addressed the possibility of U.S. military action against Iran in a special interview with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News.

“Iran today is a very complicated country," Katz said. “There are many people who want to remove the current regime, but they don’t have the power, they don’t have the armaments, and they don’t have the international support they need."

Katz described the Iranian government as “very cruel," accusing it of killing, maiming, and imprisoning “tens of thousands of people," while the international community remains largely passive. He argued that Western diplomacy has repeatedly underestimated Tehran’s strategic mindset.

“The Iranian mentality of this type of leadership believes big time in deception," Katz said. “They will negotiate with you as much as they can in order to postpone any conflict."

According to Katz, Iran’s leadership hopes to delay decisive action long enough for political changes in the West. “They’re hoping the leadership of today in the United States and across the world will pass," he said. “Maybe new people will come into power who are more friendly to them, and they’ll survive another day."

He warned that allowing the current regime to remain in power carries global consequences. “These people don’t believe in freedom. They don’t believe in the well-being of the West as we know it," Katz said. “They are power-hungry, and their ideology is out of control."

Katz emphasized that Iran’s military ambitions extend far beyond Israel. “When Iran is building its rocket systems, they’re not targeting only Israel," he said. “They’re targeting Europe. They’re targeting the United States. If you add ballistic missiles and atomic weapons, New York and Washington are in danger. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of how soon."

Asked about Israel’s position should a new Iranian government emerge, Katz said Israel would be open to engagement under the right conditions. “Israel in principle is very open-minded," he said. “They are willing to work with anybody who wants a better future, for their country, for Israel, and for the free world."

He pointed to the Iranian diaspora as a potential bridge. “There are many people in Israel and in the United States who came from Iran because of the current regime," Katz said. “These people should amplify the connection to the local population and give them the support they need to build a better future."

However, Katz cautioned that Iran’s current leadership is not focused solely on domestic affairs. “Iran of today is not thinking only Iranian," he said. “They are thinking international. They’re trying to infiltrate Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq, any field they can take over."

Turning to Iran-backed militant groups, Katz reflected on what he described as a major miscalculation in Israeli and international policy prior to the October 7th massacre. “There was a belief that if we are nice to Hamas, they will be nice to us," he said. “People did not understand the depth of the problem."

He described how Israeli communities near Gaza actively pursued coexistence. “They were inviting people into their homes, taking them to hospitals, building industrial parks, drinking coffee together," Katz said. “They truly believed they were building a better future."

“That illusion collapsed on October 7," he added. "The people who attacked were not strangers," Katz said. “They were doctors, shopkeepers, teachers. They were holding hostages in their own homes. Many hostages were killed in captivity."

According to Katz, these events shattered the belief in the concept of the innocent bystander. “You ask yourself, ‘How can we make peace with people who present themselves as civilians but are driven by an ideology to destroy you?’" he said.

Katz argued that ideology, not economic conditions, lies at the heart of the conflict. “When ideology is kicking in, the well-being of today doesn’t count," he said. “You cannot make a business deal with people who believe in world domination."

Looking ahead, Katz said Gaza cannot be stabilized without deep structural changes. “Hamas must be totally disarmed. Gaza must be demilitarized," he said, adding that disarmament alone would not be enough. “Without proper education of children and adults for many years, it will be very difficult to see a real outcome."

He also criticized the involvement of outside actors. “Qatar and Turkey hate Israel, hate the free world as we know it," Katz said. “Qatar invested billions in brainwashing youth, including in the United States. And today we are seeing the results. The first step is education, the second step is exposing evil and marginalizing it. Only then can we build a better future."