Meir Dagan
Meir DaganIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan warns it would not be smart to attack Iran at the present time – and says there also is really no need to do so.

The recently retired intelligence director claims that Iran does not possess military weapons and is not actually an immediate danger to the State of Israel. "I do not think we should attack Iran immediately,” Dagan said this weekend in an exclusive interview on Channel 2's “
Meet the Press.”

Nevertheless, he said, "It's important to me that the prime minister would not be subject to political pressure when considering national security.”

He added that the problem of Iran's nuclear development activities should not cost Israel its political credibility in other arenas: “I would not want to see Israel isolated on the issue of Iran – it's a global problem.”

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, he said, has advocated for attacking Iran – something he opposes. “Iran is still not capable of creating a nuclear weapon,” Dagan contended.  “The regime is a rational one and won't accept crazy decisions.”

Regardless, the “Air Force can carry out any task it is given,” he said.

In response to criticism of his outspoken remarks on the matter, Dagan commented that “No prime minister or defense minister will prevent me from expressing my opinion. I have not revealed any intelligence information.”

He added that he does not intend to enter the political arena at this time; “entering politics is irrelevant to me.”