Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen was asked at the first international business summit organized by Birthright Israel what he thinks of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and was invited to share something about him that people might not know. "Probably not mature enough," Cohen replied, adding, "Don't quote me."
The former Mossad chief was also asked about the strikes on Iran and cooperation between Israel and the United States.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
(Photo: Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)
"First, when I've realized that a combined operation, Israeli Defense Forces, as Mossad puts on the ground in Iran, and the American army are attacking the, not only of course, but nuclear sites, ballistic missiles, capabilities and factories, I have to admit, I lived the dream," Cohen said.
"This is the thing that we always wanted, to have us and America together fighting against the evilness of Iran."
Addressing the possibility of toppling the Iranian regime, Cohen said: "The one thing that I've never agreed with is that we can eventually topple the regime from the outside. I think this is something that the Iranians themselves should do by themselves."
He acknowledged the dangers facing Iranians who protest against the regime.
"It's super hard, super dangerous to go out [into] the streets," he said, adding that protesters' chances of returning home safely were "very low."
"Nevertheless, I think that the regime is in a different position," Cohen said.
"We have eventually destroyed many factories and facilities, and many of the important principles of Iranian nuclear capability, missile ballistic capabilities, and others have been destroyed."
Asked whether another attack on Iran was imminent, Cohen said: "My predictions are, if it's worth anything, is that another surgical operation will eventually happen."
He said Iran continued to develop its facilities and could be rebuilding or refurbishing them.
"They do not really negotiate in good faith," Cohen said.
Cohen added that additional military pressure could be necessary before an agreement is reached.
"I'm very satisfied, again, that President Trump is insisting on a good agreement and he's not compromising on a bad one," he said.
Cohen also discussed the 2018 Mossad operation to seize Iran's nuclear archive, saying the intelligence gathered helped inform subsequent strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
"Part of them were based on materials that we have learned at the archive," he said, referring to targets struck during Israeli and U.S. operations.
Cohen said the archive was also a major reason a new nuclear agreement with Iran had not been signed, arguing that "Iran does not come clean till today."