Israel's Mossad Director David Barnea on Sunday expressed alarm over the potential for Russia to give advanced weapons to Iran, amid the two countries' deepening relations connected to the Ukraine war and Moscow's use of Iranian drones.
"Our fear is that the Russians will transfer to the Iranians in return what they lack (of advanced weaponry)," Barnea said in statements cited by The Times of Israel.
If this happens, these advanced weapons "will certainly endanger our peace, and maybe even our existence here," he described. The comments came during remarks before an Israeli defense forum wherein Russia's heavy reliance on Iranian kamikaze drones was being discussed.
The Times of Israel wrote of the remarks that "Barnea said Iran had intentions to provide Russia with short- and long-range missiles in addition to the UAVs that it sold to the Russian military for its invasion of Ukraine." However, he didn't cite any specific intelligence or evidence.
More broadly the speech was focused on the many ways the Islamic Republic continues to threaten Israel's security, and the ways Tel Aviv is preparing. Barnea argued out that Iran's 'terror operations' have gone global:
"The squads that were captured, the weapons that were seized together with them, all had clear targets," he said, noting that the attempts occurred "all over the world, in Europe, Africa, the Far East and South America."
"All this under the direction and guidance of Iran. We are witnessing a significant increase in attempts to harm Jews and Israelis around the world, and we are working even now at this very moment to follow Iranian and proxy squads to prevent them from killing Jews and Israelis around the world," Barnea went on.
He said that "the time has come to exact a price from Iran in a different way," and elaborated: "Harming Israelis and Jews in any way — by proxy, by Iranians, or by Iranian weapons smuggled into Israel — will lead to activity against the Iranians who sent the terrorists and also against the decision-makers, from the ground operators to the commanders who approved the operation, to the highest echelon, and I mean that," he said.
This was followed with more threats: "These prices will be exacted with great precision in the depths of Iran, in the heart of Tehran," Barnea continued. "The Iranian regime no longer has no room for denial and, above all, it has no immunity."
The Mossad chief's words strongly suggested Israel foiled an active plot for Russia-Iran advanced weapons transfers...
"Barnea says #Iran had intended to provide Russia with short and long-range missiles in addition to the UAVs that it sold it for its invasion of Ukraine. This was foiled, he says."https://t.co/afYinhAnPX
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) September 10, 2023
Israeli leaders, especially in the past Netanyahu administrations, have articulated they believe a preemptive strike on Iran and especially its nuclear facilities to be justifiable, and maintain this as an 'option'.
As for growing Moscow-Tehran ties, US intelligence tends to agree that it's a threat, also given the widespread reports that Russia has allowed an Iranian drone production facility to be established on its soil, in the south of Russia. Iranian suicide drones have pummeled Ukrainian cities and military positions throughout the over year-and-a-half long war.
