Ex-Mossad Official Warns Iran Nearing Nuclear Threshold
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Former senior Mossad official Haim Tomer agrees with former Mossad chief Dadi Barnea that Iran is steadily advancing towards nuclear weapons capability. Tomer warned of a potential policy shift in Tehran, with Iranian officials now discussing the pursuit of nuclear weapons, a departure from previous religious doctrine. He believes international pressure, not regime change, is key, citing the 2015 deal as evidence that diplomacy can limit Iran's nuclear program. Tomer also blamed former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for convincing Donald Trump to withdraw from the 2015 deal.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former Mossad official Haim Tomer warns Iran is advancing in small steps toward nuclear weapons.
- Tomer agrees with former Mossad chief Dadi Barnea that Iran will continue to pursue nuclear weapons.
- Iranian officials are reportedly discussing a policy shift to pursue nuclear weapons, departing from past religious edicts.
- Tomer advocates for a nuclear deal that allows for international inspection of Iran's program.
- He blames former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for convincing Donald Trump to exit the 2015 nuclear deal.
Former senior Mossad official Haim Tomer agrees with Dadi Barnea, the former head of the Mossad, that the Iranian regime will continue to pursue nuclear weapons. Tomer warned of a potential shift in Tehran's nuclear policy, stating that Iranian officials are now discussing the possibility of pursuing nuclear weapons, a departure from the religious edict previously issued by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tomer indicated that this change in discourse stems from international pressure, particularly from the United States.
Tomer noted that this development is not surprising, as he identified Iranian activities aimed at developing nuclear weapons capability as early as 2002. He explained that clandestine groups within Iran have been working on this for years, changing their names and operating in secret. The key question, according to Tomer, is not whether Iran desires a military nuclear capability, but when it will decide to move towards the practical stages of weapon development. He pointed to actions like producing metallic uranium and conducting ballistic missile tests as indicators of significant progress, describing them as technological steps that require demonstrating capability and are difficult to conceal.
"Until today, it has made a kind of approach in small steps towards the threshold point," Tomer said, confirming Barnea's assessment. Tomer also raised the question of whether regime change in Iran is the only way to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons. He cited the 2015 nuclear deal as proof that international pressure can lead Iran to agreements that limit its nuclear activities. "In 2015, it was proven that when countries pressure Iran, it signs an agreement. Between a situation with no agreement and a situation with an agreement, I am for an agreement. It allows for inspection," he stated.
Tomer also commented on former U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal in 2018, attributing the move to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tomer claimed that Netanyahu, supported by Israeli intelligence agencies at the time, persuaded Trump that the world needed to be freed from the agreement to enable military action against Iran.
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