Former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo has no criticism of an alleged Mossad operation against Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility as counterproductive to ending the nuclear threat, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
In an op-ed published in Foreign Policy on Tuesday along with chairman of Commanders for Israel’s Security Maj.-Gen. (Ret.) Matan Vilnai, Pardo wrote that the hit on Natanz earlier in April and the Islamic Republic’s response of increasing its uranium enrichment accentuate “both the risks associated with Iran’s nuclear and regional ambitions and the urgent need to address them.”
However, this in no way was meant as a criticism of any operation, which the former Mossad chief would avoid given his support for the agency as well as being out of office for five years means he no longer has the full intelligence picture.
Rather, it was meant to highlight the risks and instability in the region until the nuclear issue is resolved diplomatically.
The former Mossad chief, both in the op-ed and in recent public appearances, does criticize any broad Israeli strategy based on publicly banging heads with the US over a return to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal.
Rather, he wrote, “the United States and Israel share a similar assessment of the Iranian nuclear threat and regional menace but are also strongly committed to the same goal of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”
Further, he said, “Yet, in practice, no issue has divided Israeli and US policies and leaders more than the Iran nuclear deal,” and that it is crucial going forward “to avoid the distrust and acrimony between the United States and Israel,” that characterized maneuvering around the JCPOA.
Instead of lecturing to the US to achieve a new deal that fulfills all of Israel’s security concerns, Pardo suggested Israel support the two-phase approach of the Biden administration – especially the second phase of lengthening and strengthening the JCPOA.
Splitting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and current Mossad Director Yossi Cohen who believe covert action combined with sanctions pressure can achieve more of Israel’s security goals, he said, “Despite the shortcomings in the deal, no alternative diplomatic platform for dealing with the immediate crisis is available.
Pardo expressed special concern that the Biden administration must find ways to roll back Iranian progress regarding advanced centrifuges and making sure International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors get more unfettered access.