Robert Gates would be “surprised” if Israel attacked Iran this year to prevent it developing a nuclear weapon.
The US defence secretary told the Financial Times Washington and Israel had enough time to persuade Tehran to abandon what is widely perceived as a weapons programme. Asked if Iran would cross a nuclear red line this year, he said: “I don't know, I would guess probably not. I think we have more time than that. How much more time I don't know. It is a year, two years, three years. It is somewhere in that window.”
Mr Gates does not expect Israel – which believes the US is too sanguine in its estimate for when Iran could develop a nuclear weapon – to take military action this year. “I guess I would say I would be surprised . . . if they did act this year,” he said.