Assassination and its aftermath
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the Iranian scientist who led Iran’s nuclear weapons programme until it was disbanded, was assassinated last week. Mr. Trump, because of his dislike for former President Barack Obama, may be willing to order air strikes on Iranian nuclear installations in order to pre-empt the U.S.’s return to the nuclear agreement that was the foremost achievement of Mr. Obama’s foreign policy. Mr. Netanyahu’s recent semi-clandestine trip to Saudi Arabia to meet with the Crown Prince along with the U.S. Secretary of State was aimed at cementing the anti-Iran front and putting pressure on the Trump administration to destroy Iran’s nuclear installations. According to leaked U.S. diplomatic cables, the late Saudi King Abdullah exhorted Washington in 2008 to “cut off the head of the snake”, a clear reference to Iran, by launching military strikes to destroy Tehran’s nuclear installations. If the Iranian government launches revenge attacks on Israeli targets or those of America’s Arab allies, Mr. Netanyahu would be able to persuade the U.S. to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
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