The director of Israel’s spy agency Mossad, David Barnea, said on 8 September that “Israel will not stand by while Iran continues to defraud the world,” in the latest threat coming from Israeli officials against the possible revival of the Iran nuclear deal.
His words came after meeting in Washington with CIA Director William Burns, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and other top US security officials.
“The US will maintain its commitment to Israeli security … and will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon,” the Mossad chief went on to say, adding that he presented “sensitive intelligence” to the US officials in regards to Iran’s nuclear energy program.
Barnea had been in the US capital since 5 September, holding meetings with security officials in hopes of derailing Washington’s return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
His arrival to the US came on the heels of similar trips by Defense Minister Benny Gantz and National Security Council Chief Eyal Hulata.
On 6 September, interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid threatened Iran with Israel’s “long arm” during a speech delivered in front of an F-35 fighter jet.
Israel has been working around the clock to get the US to change its plans to revive the Iran nuclear deal, but has largely been cut off from the negotiations.
Furthermore, the country has also carried out assassinations and acts of sabotageinside the Islamic Republic in an attempt to end the talks.
Tel Aviv’s actions have been carried out despite the fact a large majority of the Israeli public does not consider Iran as the nation’s most urgent concern.
According to a poll released by the Israel Democracy Institute last month, only 12 percent of Israelis consider Iran to be the most important factor when deciding which political party to support.
This growing apathy can be blamed on Israeli authorities claiming for several decades that Iran poses an “immediate” nuclear threat.
Since 1992 – and as recently as this week – Israeli officials and their western sponsors have claimed Iran is anywhere from “years” to “days” away from developing a nuclear weapon, with this never turning out to be true.