Oded Eilam, former head of the Mossad's counter-terror division and a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs (JCFA), warned in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet that the US is negotiating with Iran from a Western perspective that strengthens Tehran's position. He assessed that Washington will continue to seek a deal and may offer further concessions, and that Israel's interest is to prevent the agreement and avoid linking the Iranian and Lebanese fronts.
As the United States maintains its expanded air campaign against Iran while simultaneously pursuing diplomatic channels, Oded Eilam, a former senior Mossad official and current researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs (JCFA), offered a stark assessment of the dynamic. In an interview with Kan Reshet Bet on Thursday morning, Eilam argued that Washington is approaching negotiations from a Western worldview that does not apply in the Middle East, where 'the strong does not offer a deal — the weak is the one who asks for it.' He warned that the very willingness to propose agreements and keep the door open for talks signals weakness and strengthens Iran's position.
Eilam predicted that despite President Trump's tough rhetoric, the US will continue to pursue a new agreement with Iran and may be prepared to offer further concessions. He outlined Israel's strategic interest as preventing the implementation of such an agreement and avoiding any linkage between the Iranian and Lebanese fronts. As long as Iran does not attack Israel directly, Eilam assessed, Israel should proceed cautiously and leave military initiative to the United States.
The analysis comes amid ongoing US strikes against Iranian targets under Operation Epic Fury and reported diplomatic backchannel efforts. The Zioneer has previously reported on the US signaling an expanded air campaign and on Iran's reinforcement of its nuclear facilities.
2 developments
- DevelopingFormer Mossad official argues Iran sees Trump as predictable, exploits talks
- StrongFormer Mossad Official: Iran Avoids Attacking Israel Because It Knows Israel Awaits an Excuse
- DevelopingIsraeli Analyst Dan Diker Warns Iran Aims to Drive Wedge Between US and Israel
- DevelopingIraqi analyst Mosawi argues US-Iran talks suffer from lack of Israeli participation
Source and signal
- Internal intake