During an interview on CBS News’ “Face The Nation” over the weekend, former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster warned that the “chances are quite high” that Israel would strike Iran’s nuclear program in 2023.
“One of the things you’re saying there is recognition that the attempt to broker a nuclear deal with Iran is dead,” CBS News’ Margaret Brennan said to McMaster.
“It’s a pipe dream. It’s trying to revive something that is completely dead,” McMaster replied. “And I couldn’t believe it, Margaret, as- as we were supplicating to the Iranian regime as they’re intensifying their proxy war in the region, and attacking some of our- of our long-standing partners there, the- the Saudi- Saudi Arabia and, and the UAE. And I think we lost a lot of ground in the Middle East, because we’re chasing this pipe dream of trying to revive this- this nuclear agreement.”
“And if we didn’t Margaret, what would happen- what would happen is we’d give Iran a pass on- on the destructive effect that the dictatorship has had on the Iranian economy,” he continued. “And you know, where that money would go, that money would go into the bonyads, which are these collectives controlled by the theocratic dictatorship, who extend their patronage network and control and that money would go to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, who would, as they did after the first Iran nuclear deal, intensify their proxy war against us, their Arab neighbors, and especially against Israel.”
“And I think, Margaret, if we’re going to be in the business of making predictions, I think the chances are quite high of a significant conflict in the Middle East, maybe entailing an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear program,” McMaster added.
McMaster’s comments come as Iran continues to act increasingly aggressively, reportedly hiring criminals to carry out anti-Semetic attacks on Jewish centers in other countries and accelerating the development of their nuclear program.