Former Mossad director David Barnea called for sustained economic, political, and operational pressure on Iran until its government is toppled, saying at his retirement event Thursday night that regime change is both possible and necessary.
“I believed, and I still believe, that a change in the reality in Iran by virtue of toppling the regime is a possible and achievable goal,” Barnea said.
Achieving that objective would require “persistence, a cool head, and commitment to the mission,” he said, adding, “This mission must remain as our top priority.”
Barnea also backed US President Donald Trump’s strategy of creating an “economic D-Day” to increase pressure on Tehran: “US President Donald Trump understands very well that the radical Iranian regime must not be left in place.”
He welcomed Washington’s decision to impose tougher economic measures but argued that sanctions alone would not be sufficient.
“The decision to impose the harshest sanctions on Iran is a correct and welcome decision. But the sanctions are only an additional step. In my assessment, there will be no escape but to escalate the economic, political, and operational actions against this regime until its fall – and it will fall.”
Barnea said Iranian citizens and Western countries both want to see the government removed, with the United States and Israel leading efforts against Tehran.
His comments came as Washington rejected the prospect of resuming negotiations based on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Iran in June. Sources told The Wall Street Journal that Trump is no longer interested in reviving the MOU, which faced strong criticism in the United States for being too lenient toward Tehran.
President Trump, while disputing a Fox News report by Jonathan Hunt, posted on Truth Social that Iran was “begging to make a deal,” and not the other way around.
He wrote: “Jonathan Hunt of FoxNews did a particularly inaccurate report on the Failing Islamic Republic of Iran. I don’t want to meet, they do. In fact, they are begging to make a deal. Bret Baier should straighten out his flunkies, for a change!”
