Speaking at a conference, former Israeli Gen. Gadi Eisenkot declared Iran to be closer than ever to a nuclear bomb. This is a recurring theme in Israeli politics, based on the false belief that Iran will eventually acquire nuclear arms.
Israel’s perennial belief that Iran is close to nuclear arms is scarcely news. What is interesting is that Eisenkot appeared to be critical of the US scrapping the JCPOA nuclear deal. Though he conceded that was a decision up to the US, he argued that keeping Iran away from arms would be better facilitated with a tough enforcement JCPOA.
This stands far apart from the Israeli narrative, as they generally hate the idea of any deals with Iran, and argue that war is inevitable. A more palatable JCPOA was similarly something the Israelis previously hadn’t wanted to acknowledge was possible.
In practice, Iran has ruled out ever seeking nuclear arms, and the JCPOA is intended to cover Iran’s civilian program. Iran has never attempted to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels, and their religious leadership has declared it forbidden to attempt to make the arms.
And how close is Israel to a nuclear bomb ?
As close as is necessary.
Iran needs to follow Israel’s formula to silence opposition to the introduction of nuclear weapons into the Middle East. Just build a vast arsenal of nukes and then neither confirm nor deny you have ’em. Works for Israel so why shouldn’t it work for other nations in the area.
We could give Iran the same treatment we gave Israel re that issue. Never confirm or deny, even though Israel did it right in front of our eyes.
Ask Mordecai Vanunu…………..Israel HAS the bomb.
Good!
“We must secure the existence of our people and a future for Israeli children” – every Israeli shill, ever. But then, isn’t that what every nation’s leaders want, whether they say it or not? However, methinks Tel Aviv doth protest too much.
Then again, if Iran poses such a threat to Israel, why doesn’t Israel deal with it themselves? They have no problem attacking Iranians in Syria- itself an act of war on top of violating Syria’s sovereignty- so let’s see what they can do on their own against Iran. As is the norm, though, it seems Israel wants the US to do the heavy lifting to take care of their problems.
There are some indications that Obama blocked airstrikes against Iran.
Bibi begged but Obama said no if that’s what you mean.
Obama threatened to physically protect Iran from Israeli airstrikes.
Never been proven but good for him if he did.
Trump recalled them 10 minutes from target.
It must always be pointed out that he put us in that position. But good on him for stopping the bombing.
1992: Israeli parliamentarian Benjamin Netanyahu tells his colleagues that Iran is 3 to 5 years from being able to produce a nuclear weapon.
1995: The New York Times reports that US and Israeli officials fear “Iran is much closer to producing nuclear weapons than previously thought” – less than five years away. Netanyahu claims the time frame is three to five years.
1996: Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres claims Iran will have nuclear weapons in four years.
1998: Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld claims Iran could build an ICBM capable of reaching the US within five years.
1999: An Israeli military official claims that Iran will have a nuclear weapon within five years.
2001: The Israeli Minister of Defence claims that Iran will be ready to launch a nuclear weapon in less than four years.
2002: The CIA warns that the danger of nuclear weapons from Iran is higher than during the Cold War, because its missile capability has grown more quickly than expected since 2000 – putting it on par with North Korea.
2003: A high-ranking Israeli military officer tells the Knesset that Iran will have the bomb by 2005 — 17 months away.
2006: A State Department official claims that Iran may be capable of building a nuclear weapon in 16 days.
2008: An Israeli general tells the Cabinet that Iran is “half-way” to enriching enough uranium to build a nuclear weapon and will have a working weapon no later than the end of 2010.
2009: Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak estimates that Iran is 6-18 months away from building an operative nuclear weapon.
2010: Israeli decision-makers believe that Iran is at most 1-3 years away from being able to assemble a nuclear weapon.
2011: IAEA report indicates that Iran could build a nuclear weapon within months.
2011: “Iran is closer to getting an (atomic) bomb than is thought,” Netanyahu said in remarks to cabinet ministers, quoted by an official from his office.
2013: Israeli intelligence officials claim that Iran could have the bomb by 2015 or 2016.
2013: Iran is closer today than ever before to obtaining the necessary enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Thursday evening.
Stultifying, isn’t it?
September 28, 2013: Netanyahu’s bomb cartoon steals the show in UN speech.
Here’s another one you missed. Great job of research though.
Yes – that “road runner”-like childish cartoon.
Thank you Mary but that research took about 5 minutes. 3 or 4 sources with the majority from one. And they aren’t hard to find.
ISRAEL HAS THE BOMB! ISRAEL HAS NEVER SIGNED THE NPT. IRAN SIGNED THE NPT IN 1968, RATIFIED THE DOCUMENT IN 1970.
Doesn’t make a difference – make Israel sign the NPT and tell Iran to withdraw from the NPT – Problem solved.
So What….! US and Soviet Union lived side by side and didn’t strike each other for more than half a century with thousands of nukes….!
Too true. They were first in the far away US. Then in Russia, UK and France. Then they arrived in Israel, India and Pakistan, far close to Iran.
Good one. Took me two reads.
Technically that is true in the same manner that when I go to the dentist and get an xray, I’m closer to getting a nuclear bomb but am no where close to getting or wanting one. Those are the best lies.
Crying wolf again.
Yet it reveals the actual need of Iran for The Bomb. Israel intends an attack on Iran, and is regularly engaging in attacks that would be considered full-on warfare if Iran did them to Israel or the US. If Iran had the Bomb, then Israel could not attack it, and that is the one and only way to stop these Israelis.
This would be the worst possible outcome, except for the only other outcome allowed by Israel or the US.
The BS just goes on and on.
Point #1: this is a ‘promise’ I’ve never heard about.
Point #2: in the event it exists, it represents only a snapshot of Iranian politics at that instant.
“Fatwas” are a declaration by a religious leader which can be and have been reversed.
Producing bomb-grade U235 is not a technological problem but one of persistence and enough fluorine. After all, Pakistan and North Korea have done it with the same technology that Iran uses. As the North Koreans have experienced, making a working weapon is not immediately guaranteed.
Iran would have to test and we, Russia, the UK, France, and China would instantly know that such a test was done.
Of course enriching U235 from about 5% to 20% is bringing Iran “closer to a bomb” but it also brings Iran closer to running nuclear power stations.
P.S. The fluorine needed to make UF6 gas is produced by electrolysis of molten potassium fluoride. I have worked with it. It is the most aggressive chemical I have ever worked with. A piece of paper held in a stream of cold fluorine immediately catches fire. UF6 is also an extremely nasty chemical compound.
Point #1: this is a ‘promise’ I’ve never heard about.
Point #2: in the event it exists, it represents only a snapshot of Iranian politics at that instant.
“Fatwas” are a declaration by a religious leader which can be and have been reversed.