Israel pours energy into media blitz against looming Iran nuclear deal

The Israeli press quoted Mossad chief David Barnea as warning the United States and Europe Aug. 25 against rushing into a terrible deal with Iran. Barnea reportedly called the emerging Iran nuclear deal “a strategic disaster” for Israel, warning that it would not block his agency from acting against Iran in the future to protect Israel’s security.

Barnea said the deal is “very bad for Israel” and that the United States “is rushing into an accord that is ultimately based on lies.”

In an exclusive article for Al-Monitor on Aug. 23, journalist Ben Caspit revealed the Mossad’s assessment that a US deal would be a catastrophe for Israel and for the region and a resounding victory for Tehran. The sources cited estimated that once the agreement is signed, Tehran will ignore its obligation to cooperate with recent IAEA investigations.

The Aug. 25 reports quoted Barnea as explaining that with a sunset clause that sees restrictions on Iran’s nuclear enrichment program lifted after a certain period, the emerging agreement “gives Iran license to amass the required nuclear material for a bomb” in a few years.

The agreement, he argued, will also offer Tehran billions of dollars in currently frozen financial resources, increasing its ability to sponsor global terrorism. This money “both destabilizes and sponsors terror in the region, including militias, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.”

“We deal with Hezbollah, not the US. We deal with Islamic Jihad, not the US. And with militias and the IRGC in Syria. We need to deal with this. Clearly, the US can get up and leave one day. We cannot leave. We are here. There are also differences conceptually and, in our world views. … The strategic leaning by both the US and Iran to sign on to a new JCPOA does not change Iran’s long-term desire to obtain a nuclear weapon,” he said.

In what sounds like criticism directed at Washington, Barnea estimated that reaching a deal now seems inevitable, “in light of the needs of the US and Iran.” He then added, “The Mossad is preparing and knows how to remove that threat. If we don’t take action, Israel will be in danger.”

Addressing his Yesh Atid Knesset faction Aug. 25, Prime Minister Yair Lapid reiterated that “the current deal is a bad deal.” A day earlier, Lapid warned, “We are not prepared to live with a nuclear threat above our heads from an extremist, violent Islamist regime. This will not happen, because we will not let it happen.” He then pointed a finger at the United States and Europe, saying, “The negotiators are ready to make concessions, again. This is not the first time this has happened. The countries of the West draw a red line, the Iranians ignore it and the red line moves.”

Lapid then toned his objections down a bit, saying yesterday, “The Americans accepted a large part of the things that we wanted them to include in the drafts. It is a welcome change, and the dialogue with them is good and we will continue it.”

Lapid mentioned this week’s US trips by Israel’s national security adviser Eyal Hulata and Defense Minister Benny Gantz. Hulata met on Tuesday with his American counterpart Jake Sullivan.

Upon departing Aug. 24, Gantz tweeted, “The purpose of the visit is to convey a clear message regarding the negotiations between the powers and Iran on the nuclear agreement: An agreement that will not push back Iran’s capabilities to what it was several years ago and that will not leave Iranian capabilities limited for many years to come is an agreement that will harm global and regional security.”

Yesterday, Gantz met in Tampa, Florida, with US Central Command chief General Michael Kurilla. After the meeting and a tour in the base, Gantz tweeted, “I am finishing now a successful visit to Centcom headquarters in Tampa. During the visit, we held significant discussions on strengthening the security cooperation between Israel, the USA and the countries of the region in the face of Iranian aggression. From here, I fly to Washington, where I will meet with National Security Adviser Sullivan. I will discuss with him ways to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.”