Ex-Mossad Official: Iran Nearing Nuclear Threshold, Netanyahu Pushed US Out of Deal
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Former Mossad official Haim Tomer stated that Iran is making incremental steps toward nuclear weapons capability, with officials now openly discussing the need for them. Tomer criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for allegedly convincing then-U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal. He believes a deal, despite its flaws, allows for crucial oversight of Iran's nuclear program.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former Mossad official Haim Tomer says Iran is incrementally advancing toward nuclear weapons capability.
- Tomer claims senior Iranian officials are openly discussing the need for nuclear weapons.
- He blames Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for convincing Donald Trump to exit the 2015 nuclear deal.
- Tomer prefers a nuclear deal with Iran for oversight over having no agreement.
- Former Mossad chief Dadi Barnea also warned of Iran's nuclear ambitions regardless of a deal.
A former senior official from Israel's Mossad, Haim Tomer, believes Iran is incrementally advancing towards nuclear weapons capability. Tomer stated that senior Iranian officials are openly discussing the necessity of creating nuclear weapons for the first time, a significant shift from previous policy. He noted that an Iranian representative indicated factions within the regime are seeking to revise the religious edict issued by Ali Khamenei, which currently prohibits Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons on religious grounds.
Tomer attributes these statements to external pressures on the Iranian regime, particularly from the United States. He emphasized that the critical juncture will be when Tehran decides to make a decisive move, such as converting enriched uranium into metallic form or conducting ballistic missile tests. Tomer confirmed the assessment of former Mossad chief Dadi Barnea regarding the nuclear threat posed by Iran under its current leadership, stating Barnea was "unequivocally" correct.
Regarding international agreements, Tomer expressed a preference for having a deal, even a flawed one, over no deal, citing the importance of inspection and control mechanisms. He pointed to the 2015 nuclear agreement as proof that international pressure can lead Iran to sign accords. However, Tomer blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the U.S. withdrawal from the 2018 nuclear deal, alleging that Netanyahu, with the support of Israeli intelligence agencies, convinced then-President Donald Trump to abandon the agreement with the aim of a military strike against Iran.
This perspective aligns with previous warnings from Dadi Barnea, who stated that Iran would pursue nuclear weapons regardless of any international agreement and that a deal would reward the regime's strategy of terror. Prime Minister Netanyahu has also publicly warned about Iran's nuclear ambitions, advocating for the overthrow of the Iranian regime as the only permanent solution and calling for a unity government to confront the challenges.
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