TEL AVIV, June 21. /TASS/. Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in southern Lebanon and will not let Iran obtain nuclear weapons, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

"We (Israel - TASS) will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as it takes in order to protect the residents of the North, who are dear to us, and the citizens of the entire country. As Prime Minister of Israel, I hold a firm stance on that which nothing will change," he said, as cited by his office.

"And with regards to Iran: Whatever the diplomatic developments may be, I will not allow Iran to arm itself with nuclear weapons. As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel - this will not happen," he pledged.

He recalled that over the past year Israel has conducted "two monumental operations: Operation Rising Lion and Operation Roaring Lion" against Iran. "We launched these operations to avert an immediate threat of annihilation looming over us by the regime of evil in Iran. Had we not acted, that regime would already possess atomic bombs, and they would have used them," he stressed.