The worst case scenario not only for the situation in the Middle East, but also for future developments in the world, he confirms, in his statements to SKAI, former White House chief security adviser John Bolton.

Mr. Bolton confirmed that, to his knowledge, the Tehran is close to creation nuclear weaponsas, it seems, his nuclear program is well advanced.

In more detail, the interview of the former White House security adviser at Nicoletta Kritikou:

Let me start with your CNN interview. You said that Israel is now given the opportunity to destroy Iran’s nuclear program and that it is an existential threat. Will this not drag the Middle East into an unprecedented vicious cycle?

Bolton: I think Israel basically has the ability to stop any Iranian work being done on nuclear weapons and disrupt the entire cycle of nuclear weapons development. I think it can cause years of damage. This is not the end of the line, but it will delay Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons by several years. It could allow the Iranian opposition (to come to the fore) which I think is very popular in Iran today. I think the (Iranian) regime is more unpopular than at any time since it took power in 1979. This is an opportunity for the people of Iran to take their destiny into their own hands.

How does Washington juggle saying to Israel, we support you but we will not engage in any aggression with you?

Bolton: In war, it is sometimes very difficult to distinguish between what is offensive and what is defensive when you are acting in your own self-defense. As we say in the United States, the best defense is a good offense. So I think Biden is very concerned about the domestic political effects that the war in the Middle East will have on the US. He has drawn widespread criticism from the left wing of the Democratic Party as the showdown with Trump in the November election is neck-and-neck. That could make all the difference. So I think a lot of Biden’s Middle East policy today is done with an eye on American policy.

Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria seems to change the balance on the chessboard. Was it a misjudgment by Israel or a deliberate move to win back US support after the cracks in bilateral relations over Gaza?

Bolton: I’ve seen this analysis in the New York Times as well, that maybe the Israelis misjudged what the reaction to the consulate bombing would be and were surprised by Saturday’s attack by Iran. Everything is possible. This is a very complicated situation, but I don’t think it is. My first reaction when I heard about the attack on Damascus was that this could provoke a very large response from Iran. And I’m sure there were many in Israel who saw it exactly the same way. There is danger when you decide to strike, there is also danger when you stand idle. . So I think Israel made its decision fully aware of what might come next.

Is the international community sure that Iran cannot produce nuclear weapons at any time if provoked by an attack (by Israel)?

Bolton: I’m not sure about that. I think a lot of what we know in Europe and the United States about Iran’s nuclear program presupposes that we know everything there is to know about it. And I think that’s wrong, because we certainly don’t know everything that the Iranians are doing. If we’ve learned anything in the last 20 years, it’s that we should be a little humble about what the secret services know. And I think one thing people forget is the close relationship between Iran and North Korea, both on nuclear issues and on ballistic missiles. So I think Iran is actually closer to developing nuclear weapons than many people think. I believe that this is an extremely important factor that is now being considered by the Israelis and will shape the operation that they will pursue.

How would you rate Netanyahu’s policy from October 7 onwards? Does the interest of Israel or his political survival come first for him?

Bolton: There is a war council of war in Israel, which consists, in addition to Netanyahu, of Benny Gadz, the leader of one of the opposition parties, Galand, the Israeli minister of defense, who have their own ambitions to become prime ministers. I do not agree with the argument that Netanyahu is trying to prolong the war to stay in power as prime minister with two prime ministerial candidates in the war council. They don’t give him a blank check.