Mossad head Yossi Cohen
Mossad head Yossi CohenFlash 90

Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen has warned that the Iranian threat to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is much greater than the Iranian threat to Israel, Israel Hayom reported.

"The Iranian threat to the UAE is greater than that towards Israel," he said Sunday, during the opening ceremony of the event marking one year since the Abraham Accords.

Cohen also warned of the Iranians' aspiration to acquire nuclear weapons in order to undermine the neighboring Arab regimes, such as the UAE, which is located on the other side of the Persian Gulf.

Cohen, who left the Mossad in June after five-and-a-half-years as its chief, made his statements against a background of contradictory claims regarding Iran's progress towards its goal of becoming a nuclear power.

Recently, the UAE's Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman expressed his opposition to renewing talks on the nuclear deal, emphasizing that, "Iran is not only the responsibility of Israel," and emphasizing the threat to his own country.

Rejecting the rumors that he will go into politics, joining the Likud in a bid to replace former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Right now I'm a businessman, not in politics," Cohen told Israel Hayom.