Iranian officials reveal they expected Israel to attack after failure of nuclear talks, not before – NYT

Although there were some reports that an Israeli strike was imminent, Iranian officials said they dismissed the reports as propaganda or an attempt to pressure Iran into making concessions.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Iranian officials told the New York Times that they were prepared for the possibility that Israel might attack, but only after the failure of the nuclear talks with the US, not before.

The sixth round of negotiations about Iran’s nuclear program was scheduled for Sunday, but given the Israeli strikes, Iran said it would not be attending.

Although there were some reports that an Israeli strike was imminent, Iranian officials said they dismissed the reports as propaganda or an attempt to pressure Iran into making concessions.

Iranian officials didn’t shelter in safe areas, even though they were warned, resulting in Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ aerospace unit, and his staff getting killed in a strike during a security meeting.

Israel’s initial strikes on Friday devastated Iran’s defense systems, destroyed radars and air defenses, and eliminated key military commanders.

The above-ground area of a significant nuclear enrichment plant in Natanz was severely damaged.

The New York Times reported that the officials sent messages to each other that said, “Where is our air defense?” and “How can Israel come and attack anything it wants, kill our top commanders, and we are incapable of stopping it?”

They also called into question their defense commanders and asked how they could have been so unprepared for a full-scale Israeli operation.

“Israel’s attack completely caught the leadership by surprise, especially the killing of the top military figures and nuclear scientists. It also exposed our lack of proper air defense and their ability to bombard our critical sites and military bases with no resistance,” Hamid Hosseini, a member of the country’s Chamber of Commerce’s energy committee, said.

Hosseini remarked on the extent of Israel’s covert operations within Iran, which secured extensive intelligence that helped the operations reach their target and inflict extensive damage.

“Khamenei faces no good options,” said Ali Vaez, the Iran project director of the International Crisis Group. “If he escalates, he risks inviting a more devastating Israeli attack that the US could join. If he doesn’t, he risks hollowing out his regime or losing power.”