Mossad chief: 'Iran will never have nuclear weapons'

Mossad chief: 'Iran will never have nuclear weapons'

JERUSALEM POST STAFF

 

"Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, not in the coming years, not ever, that's my commitment, that's the commitment of the Mossad," Mossad chief David Barnea said on Thursday at an award ceremony, in reference to nuclear deal talks between Iran and other world powers in Vienna.

"It's clear that there is no need for 60% purified uranium for civilian purposes, there is no need for three sites with thousands of centrifuges active unless there is the intention to develop nuclear weapons," said Barnea.

"The agreement is terrible, I hope it doesn't come to this, it's barely tolerable," Barnea criticized the Iran Deal and attempts to reinstate it. "Iran strives for regional hegemony, operates the same terrorists that we're tackling every day worldwide, and continuously threatens the stability of the Middle East. Therefore our eyes are wide open, we're ready, and we'll act with our colleagues in the defense establishment to do what is needed to distance the threat to the State of Israel, and thwart it in any way."

The intelligence chief's comments were made at an award ceremony for 12 Mossad agents that received certificates of excellence. Four agents were field operators, four cyber operatives and four staff.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stressed that Iran is conducting "nuclear blackmail" as a negotiation tactic and called on world powers to immediately halt the talks and take strict steps against Iran.

In response to Bennett's call to halt negotiations, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that "the negotiating teams for nuclear talks in Vienna will not receive instructions from Balfour.

Earlier on Thursday, the Jewish Chronicle reported that the Mossad was responsible for destroying destroy the centrifuge hall at the Iranian Natanz nuclear facility in April, and did so by secretly recruiting a team of Iranian nuclear scientists.