Ehud Barak: US could destroy Iran's nuclear programme in 'fraction of one night'

Former Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak has said that the US could destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities in less than one night of attacks, Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday.

Speaking to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Barak said such an attack would take a “fraction of one night” if the US President Barack Obama chose to order one.

Barak said that such an attack would be easier than the campaign planned to destroy the chemical infrastructure of the Syrian regime. “It is a simpler operation to get rid of the [Iranian] arsenal,” he said.

The former Israeli official accused the current American administration of becoming weak: the US “is perceived to have been weakened,” he said, permitting Iran to carry on with its nuclear programme.

“The American administration changed its objective from no nuclear military Iran to nuclear military Iran during the term of this administration,” said Barak.

He said that he accepts the negotiations between Iran and the international community in Vienna. Meanwhile, he expressed his scepticism that Iran’s intention to make a deal could be trusted.

“Iran benefits from a continuation of a half-step deal, as was achieved in Geneva over the fall,” he said. Iran and the P5+1 reached a temporary deal over Iran’s nuclear programme in January.

Regarding the Syrian issue, Barak recognised that the US is facing difficulties in Syria. He said that Bashar al-Assad saved himself when he struck a deal over giving up his chemical arsenal.