Ex-Mossad Chief: Dialogue with Iran over Nukes Essential

Local Editor

The former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy called on Sunday the West to open a dialogue with Iran.

"I realized that dialogue with an enemy is essential. There is nothing to lose," Halevy said in an interview with US website al-Monitor.
He further stated that "the claim was, if you talk to them, you legitimize them. But by not talking to them, you don't delegitimize them."
This comes as media leaks reported that "Israeli" Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu knew of an agreement in principle for direct talks between the US and Iran.

In a story over the weekend, later denied by both Washington and Tehran, The New York Times reported that "the two countries agreed in principle to one-on-one negotiations." According to the report, "the Iranians want the talks to wait until after the November 6 US presidential election."

The report said that the agreement was the result of intense, secret exchanges between the two sides dating back to almost the beginning of the Obama presidency.

Speaking to "Israel" Radio on Monday, Halevy added that direct talks with Iran would not necessarily mean removing the sanctions.
"The goal of the sanctions is not to lay the groundwork for military actions, but to convince the Iranian leadership to abandon its nuclear program," Halevy said.

In parallel, the "Israeli" official criticized Republican US presidential candidate Mitt Romney's foreign policy, asserting that "Romney's policy leaves no room for negotiations and makes military action the only choice."

The former Mossad chief also praised US President Barack Obama's tightening sanctions on Iran, saying "Tehran now faces a severe economic crisis."

Source: JP, Edited by moqawama.org