Transcript: Israeli Ambassador Michael Leiter on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan"

The following 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 are joined now by Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Dr. Michael Leiter. Good morning and welcome back to the program.

DR. MICHAEL LEITER: Good morning, Margaret, good to be with you. 

MARGARET BRENNAN: Israel and the US have been lockstep in this war to date. You heard the vice president sort of leave the door open to diplomacy, but President Trump also said this morning, the US is locked and loaded for an appropriate moment. Is it your understanding that Israel and the US will hold fire until the end of this two week ceasefire?

MICHAEL LEITER: We have to remember that the President has been relentless in pursuing an end to this crisis through talks. That’s the talks preceded the June war, talks preceded epic fury, the talks are going on now, and I think that if we can conclude this crisis with Iran, with this regime, this tyrannical regime, that’s pursuing nuclear weapons without going back into kinetic activity, it would probably be best for everyone. The president continues to pursue that. But right now they saw face to face, the vice president sat opposite this fellow, Qalibaf, who is directly responsible for the murder of his own people just in January, this past January, and just saw how obdurate and obstinate they are in pursuit of nuclear weapons.

MARGARET BRENNAN: When you said the talks are still going on, are there – is there any level of US-Iran contact at this point? 

MICHAEL LEITER: Well, you know, the President gave the issue two weeks, and we’re just into the end of the first week, so there is another week left for the potential for continued talks. We, we know the Iranians. We know this regime. We don’t think they’re going anywhere, but it’s important to give it a chance. 

MARGARET BRENNAN: Vance said, we need to see Iran give affirmative commitment to not seek a nuclear weapon, or the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon. Is your understanding that the US position is zero enrichment or are they still leaving the door open that Iran could have a civil-civilian nuclear program for medical purposes? 

MICHAEL LEITER: Civilian nuclear program doesn’t entail enrichment. There are 57 countries with a civilian nuclear program that don’t have enrichment.  

MARGARET BRENNAN: — But they want a little bit, you know that.

MICHAEL LEITER: No, no, if they have a little bit then they can have a lot to move from 60% which they had, to 90%. Look, you don’t build these production plants deep underground if you’re doing it for medical purposes, you have nothing to hide. These people lie. We shouldn’t be surprised when people who murder their own also lie. This has been their pursuit. They’ve been chanting for 47 years, death to America, death to Israel. That’s their goal. Let’s not —  

(CROSSTALK BEGINS) 

MARGARET BRENNAN: — But we’re negotiating with that same regime, right now – 

MICHAEL LEITER: — We’re trying at the same time to add we’re negotiating them –

MARGARET BRENNAN: — The very same people. 

(CROSSTALK ENDS) 

MICHAEL LEITER: — We’re negotiating them, after eliminating their navy, after eliminating their air force, after degrading their leadership. Hopefully they’ll come to their knees and say, we’re surrendering.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the President has said the war is won. Your Prime Minister said the work is not yet complete. Specifically, what part of Iran still poses a military threat to Israel? Do you still consider it an existential threat?

MICHAEL LEITER: Well, there are three things that we have to be concerned with from the beginning. Number one, the pursuit of a nuclear weapon, if they go back to that pursuit that concerns us — 

MARGARET BRENNAN: — But they want a little bit, you know that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: — They say they aren’t — 

MICHAEL LEITER: Number two, ballistic missiles. Okay, these ballistic missiles, they promised, by the way, that they don’t have a ballistic missile that could reach Europe. They lied. We saw that they do. 

MARGARET BRENNAN: — You’re talking about firing on Diego Garcia?

MICHAEL LEITER: The firing on Diego Garcia. They said it was limited to 2000 kilometers. We see now they’ve got 4000 kilometers. It’s just a sprint to 8000 kilometers and to hit Chicago or 10 to fly to New Jersey. So that has

MARGARET BRENNAN: — US intel says nine years.

MICHAEL LEITER: — and proxy, well, our intel says less than nine years. Okay,