Covert CIA and Mossad operations inside Iran ahead of a possible new war - opinion

An opinion piece argues that covert CIA and Mossad operations inside Iran are shaping the strategic balance ahead of possible renewed conflict. It assesses Tehran's intelligence vulnerabilities, citing Mossad's 2018 nuclear archive seizure and the 2020 Fakhrizadeh assassination, and warns against a weak agreement.

An opinion piece argues that the outcome of any future conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel will be shaped by intelligence operations already unfolding inside Iran. The author, Erfan Fard, contends that Tehran is betting on economic pressure and the US midterm elections to force concessions, but its intelligence vulnerabilities could shift the strategic balance. The article cites Mossad's 2018 seizure of Iran's nuclear archive, sabotage at nuclear facilities, and the 2020 assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh as evidence of Tehran's counterintelligence weaknesses. It warns that the greatest danger to the regime is intelligence penetration into the IRGC, counterintelligence agencies, and nuclear networks. The piece also discusses Iran's asymmetric warfare through proxies and threats to the Strait of Hormuz, and argues that any settlement must include verifiable nuclear restrictions and independent monitoring. The author distinguishes between the Iranian people and the Islamic Republic regime, urging Washington not to mistake the regime's survival for Iran's stability.