Trump administration hired Israeli intel firm to discredit ex-officials Iran nuclear deal: Report
Tehran (KNA) - Aides to US President Donald Trump have reportedly hired an Israeli private intelligence agency to devise a “dirty ops” campaign against key Obama administration officials who helped negotiate the Iran nuclear deal in a scheme to discredit the agreement.
Trump administration officials contacted private investigators in May of last year, directing them to "get dirt" on former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes and Colin Kahl, the deputy assistant to former President Barack Obama, as part of an elaborate scheme to undermine the deal, UK-based The Observer newspaper revealed in a report on Saturday.
The extraordinary development comes days before Trump's May 12 deadline to either scrap or continue to abide by the international pact regarding Iran's civilian nuclear program."These are extraordinary and appalling allegations but which also illustrate a high level of desperation by Trump and [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu, not so much to discredit the deal but to undermine those around it," said former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.
Officials linked to Trump's team contacted Israeli intelligence elements days after the US president visited Tel Aviv a year ago. Trump then made a pledge to Netanyahu that Iran would never have nuclear weapons - despite the fact that Tehran has always maintained that it is principally and categorically opposed to development and use of nuclear arms.
Source: PressTV