Meir Dagan
Meir DaganIsrael news photo: Flash 90

in an interview on the CBS Sunday news program of 60 minutes, former head of the Mossad told Leslie Stahl that an Israeli decision to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities would be the “the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

The comment has become a refrain for Dagan since he left his post as Mossad director early last year.

Dagan said he believes there is no imminent danger of an Iranian nuclear attack and that an Israeli strike could wait as long as three years.

He said Iran has “dozens” of fortified covert nuclear sites and successfully hitting all the targets would be nearly impossible, he said.

“The regime in Iran is a very rational regime,” Dagan claimed.

He refused to comment on Mossad involvement in installing computer viruses on Iranian computer systems or being responsible for assassinating the regime's nuclear scientists. 

Dagan also refused to acknowledge involvement in the assassination of Imad Mughniyah, who held the number- one spot on the FBI’s terrorist list for bombing the American marine barracks in 1983.

“I have to intention of giving you any comment about the issue,” Dagan said.

Stahl noted that, “this was a man who had American blood on his hands, not just Israeli.”

“I agree,” Dagan said. “I am not sorry to see the fact that he was perished from this world. I think the world is a better place when he is not around.”

Mughniyah was assassinated in a rental car and speculations have been made that Dagan was following the action from Tel Aviv, maintaining contact with people at the site.

It s a good story, Stahl said.

“It is a good story, but it isn’t true,” Dagan countered.

Dagan said that unfortunately, at the same time Mughniyeh was killed, his mother passed away and he was sitting shiva in his home in the north. While he said that he did receive reports regarding the assassination, he claimed he was not involved in the operation.