Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “serpent” on Monday, accusing the longtime leader of influencing the United States to partake in a broader war for its own benefit in the Middle East.

“In Hebrew, Netanyahu openly crows that he suckered the U.S. Administration into a war on Iran on behalf of Israel,” Araghchi said in a post on X. “Netanyahu explicitly laughs about how he ‘influenced’ America through 1,000 hours of airtime on US networks. In English, he praises POTUS’ leadership. Serpent.”

The statement was posted as a direct response to a video circulating on social media over the weekend, showing Netanyahu on local Israeli network Channel 14’s “Patriots Program” saying that Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, adding that non-Jewish citizens have rights.

Araghchi’s post, however, centers on Netanyahu’s remarks on dealing with Iran over some four decades, seemingly acknowledging that efforts took a while due to implementing a proper security state while bringing along the U.S. as part of such efforts. Netanyahu reportedly said he “was able to do that” due to receiving “close to a thousand hours on American television,” according to Hebrew translations.

Last week, Netanyahu called Iranian leadership “savages” and dismissed any prospect of an Iran-US deal.

Also, in his Channel 14 interview, Netanyahu said the following: “It is clear that if this regime is defeated, the path to the final elimination of Hamas and the elimination of Hezbollah is not far off, and we will complete it.”

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Also on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that “Iran is officially a Failed Nation.”

“IT IS DEAD! They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, they have no currency, they are not paying their soldiers or police, Inflation is at 300%, and their leadership is in total disarray and incapable of properly representing the country,” Trump said. “The only thing they have is FAKE NEWS from the USA, a willingness to kill their protesters (now over 100,000 people dead. They must be tried for war crimes against humanity!), and a good line of “B*******.”

Trump’s remarks came one day after the United States’ first military strikes in roughly a month, striking Iranian rocket launchers on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran immediately vowed retaliation, as the war surpassed the six-month mark on Aug. 28.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously called for tens of billions in new funding directly correlated to the ongoing war, telling lawmakers during one hearing that not subsidizing the Pentagon to the tune of a $1.5 defense budget is the “greatest threat” America faces.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently announced efforts to economically diminish Iran, as part of a grander plan to topple the regime.

“It’s a one-two punch. We have the blockade, and we’re going to have the toughest sanctions in history,” Bessent told CNBC.