U.S. Senator Barack Obama's election as U.S. president and the deepening world financial crisis present an opportunity to depress Iran's nuclear ambitions through diplomacy, Israel's Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin was quoted by Israeli daily Ha'aretz as saying on Tuesday.
Accusing Iran of stealthily continuing its efforts to develop offensive nuclear capabilities, Yadlin said the crowning of the first black U.S. president, who has advocated direct talks with Tehran, sets the stage to apply international pressure on Iran to abandon its nuclear aspirations.
Speaking at an event on Monday in Tel Aviv University, the senior officer said he is not opposed to direct talks between the United States and Iran and stressed that "dialogue is not appeasement," "Iran will do anything not to be cornered into the position of Iraq or North Korea."
The unfolding financial woes may also help curb Iran's nuclear program, making Iran "very susceptible to international pressure" as it has been stung by lower global oil prices in recent months, Yadlin noted, adding that concerns by moderate Sunni leadership in the Middle East over the Shi'ite-dominated nation's nuclear capabilities are also an encouraging sign.
Meanwhile, the Military Intelligence chief predicted that the probability is low for a war between the Jewish state and its enemies over the next year, while the likelihood of small-scale attacks is very high and could escalate into a bigger conflict following Israel's responses.
Source: Xinhua
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