Iran is weighing attacks on the Qatar World Cup, head of the Military Intelligence Directorate Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva warned Monday, saying Tehran was "on the whole field, from nuclear to riots."
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Speaking at an Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) conference in Tel Aviv, he said, "Iran is acting in the worst, most unusual, and shocking way. In London, they are preparing for an Iranian attack and they know what they are talking about. Iran is conducting terror activity in the United States as well. I'm not convinced that the world understands the power [of Iran] and the huge problem it represents."
Video: Reuters
Haliva addressed the national protests sweeping the Islamic republic in the wake of the killing of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country's so-called "morality" police.
"The riots are extremely exceptional both in terms of location and intensity. They have almost become a civil uprising, which is not the same thing. The targeting of the government symbols, the number of casualties – all this creates a situation that is very troubling to the regime. Combined with the economic situation and international pressure, this creates a disturbance in the regime that may endanger it."
He warned that Iran will continue to act aggressively at home and in the region and that the only thing "holding them back [from attacking the World Cup] is how the Qataris will react."
With regard to the regime's atomic program, Haliva said the world has not taken "any significant steps or actions" to stop Iran since then-President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018, which has allowed it to make "significant progress" toward producing 90% enriched uranium.
"The time is coming when the greatest test of the international community will come to light, when Iran entertains [the idea of] enrichment at 9%, even if only symbolically," he warned.
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