Mossad director David Barnea has revealed that in the last year his organisation has helped prevent 27 Iranian-led attacks against Israel and Jewish targets worldwide.
In a rare speech yesterday at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at Israel’s Reichman University, he listed five factors that have boosted Iranian self-confidence.
Those included the assistance Iran has provided Russia, particularly selling them UAVs, and the understandings Iran has reached with Saudi Arabia.
Barnea said, however, “these are not strategic agreements. They constitute a marriage of convenience that will fall apart before too long.”
He also highlighted the fact that, a year into the domestic “hijab protests”, the regime had survived. The Islamic Republic had been helped by its increased sale of oil, mainly to China, which is improving its balance of payments, and its success in hostage diplomacy, he said.
Speaking about the Iranian-led attacks against Israel and Jewish targets worldwide, he gave examples of foiled attacks in Tanzania, Greece, Cyprus and Georgia.
Ahead of the Jewish High Holy Days, Barnea warned, “any harm done to any Israeli or Jew in any way whatsoever, and I mean in any way whatsoever, via proxy or Iranian alike, will elicit a response against the Iranians who dispatched the terrorists and the policy makers who authorised the terror units to carry out the plots, from the bottom all the way up to the top. I mean what I say. The price will be exacted… deep inside Iran, in the heart of Tehran."
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Mossad director David Barnea speaks during a Conference of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) (Photo: Flash 90)
He continued, “this is state-sponsored terror… We are talking about a political directive handed down by the Supreme Leader. The funding comes from the state coffers, and planning and execution are done by national security and intelligence bodies.”
He further highlighted the regime’s “use of terror in four arenas: on the home front, on the regional and international stages, and on the seas.”
In his conclusion, he said, the “international community must stand firm against Iran, refuse to remain silent in the face of its negative conduct, and act to restrain it. We must use a variety of tools and methods against its nuclear programme, its regional policies, and its terror activity."
His two key messages, in light of the ongoing threat of terrorism, were a warning to the Iranian leadership that if they dare to attack soft Israeli or Jewish targets abroad they will be held directly accountable and there will be a response “in the heart of Tehran.”
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is visiting Israel this week, where he is also expected to address the ICT conference and relate to the Iranian threat. He will also accuse Iran of "enabling terrorism" through its support of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
In a statement ahead of the visit Cleverly said: "The UK and Israel work closely together to keep our people safe,” whilst committing, "to renew our close security partnership, in the face of unacceptable threats from the Iranian regime."
During the two-day visit, the Foreign Secretary will also meet Prime Minister Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, as well as Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh.
Barnea also highlighted that next month the embargo preventing Iran from importing missiles comes to an end. He warned: “It is clear that Iran will take advantage of this to rapidly and inexpensively procure everything it needs to manufacture ever larger quantities of increasingly high-quality missiles and UAVs.”
