Via Haaretz: IDF chief to Haaretz: I do not believe Iran will decide to develop nuclear weapons
Iran, [Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny] Gantz says, "is going step by step to the place where it will be able to decide whether to manufacture a nuclear bomb. It hasn’t yet decided whether to go the extra mile."
As long as its facilities are not bomb-proof, "the program is too vulnerable, in Iran’s view. If the supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wants, he will advance it to the acquisition of a nuclear bomb, but the decision must first be taken. It will happen if Khamenei judges that he is invulnerable to a response. I believe he would be making an enormous mistake, and I don’t think he will want to go the extra mile. I think the Iranian leadership is composed of very rational people. But I agree that such a capability, in the hands of Islamic fundamentalists who at particular moments could make different calculations, is dangerous."
Emphasis mine.
Given that the head of the Israeli Defense Forces cannot be accused of being a soft-headed liberal or someone unconcerned about the defense of Israel. Perhaps this will give those who are near hysterical about Iran will read the above and take a deep breath? (Ok, a man can hope).
At a minimum: note that the head of IDF is stating that Iranian leadership consists of rational actors.
This is not to say that the issue is not a serious one. However, it matters in terms of policy (and general evaluation of the situation) as to whether we should view Iran as a bunch of crazies or not.
