A former senior Israeli official in the Mossad pointed to the current stalemate surrounding Iran’s nuclear file, saying that “if the situation continues as it is, there is a possibility of a new round of war and direct confrontation between Iran and Israel in the near future”.
The former official, in an interview with the Huffington Post on Thursday, 27 November, referred to the halt in negotiations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as the stagnation in talks between Tehran and Washington.
He described the Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities during the last 12 day war as “non destructive”, noting that although the operations caused “significant damage” to Iran’s infrastructure, they did not succeed in stopping Tehran’s nuclear programme.
He added that Iran’s nuclear stockpile was not destroyed, and that Israel may target these facilities again if a new war breaks out.
The Huffington Post did not mention the name of this former official.
US President Donald Trump had stated several times that his country’s attacks on the Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan sites during the 12 day war had eliminated Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, Western diplomats believe that although those attacks caused serious damage, they did not completely destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, which is why speculation continues regarding Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium.
Internal Iranian divisions over negotiations with the West
The former Mossad official referred to the recent visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the United States, explaining that Riyadh is attempting to mediate between Tehran and Washington.
He also addressed the increasing internal divisions among Iranian officials regarding negotiations with the West, noting that “the Supreme Leader and the Revolutionary Guard are not prepared to make concessions, while some officials, such as President Masoud Pezeshkian, lean toward reaching a settlement. However, it is unlikely that Khamenei will allow an agreement to be concluded”.
In recent days, several reports have emerged regarding Iran’s request for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to mediate between Tehran and Washington.
The Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, which is close to Hezbollah, reported on Tuesday, 25 November, that Trump granted bin Salman authority to mediate in negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Reuters also reported that Iran asked Saudi Arabia to persuade Trump to revive the talks.
Regional warnings
The former Mossad official warned that Iran and Turkey have become serious threats to the region, and that the consequences of this situation will not be limited to Israel alone.
He pointed to Ankara’s growing influence in Syria, explaining that Turkey, driven by the ideology of “reviving the Ottoman Empire”, could turn into “a new Iran”.
He affirmed that the continued presence of Hamas in the Gaza Strip represents an obstacle to any progress in the peace process, and that current conditions make achieving a two state solution extremely complicated.
Calls for changes in foreign policy
In an interview with the Financial Times on Wednesday, 26 November, Hamzeh Safavi, the son of Yahya Rahim Safavi, adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, proposed the need to revise Iran’s foreign policy. He suggested that Tehran should condition normalisation with Israel on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, adding that as long as Khamenei remains in power, recognising Israel is “impossible”.
