Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl called the events in Iran “a big sabotage“, noting that espionage is being carried out in that country.
“It has always been clear to me that espionage is being carried out in Iran and that the British, Americans and Israelis have their influence there. But what is happening now is a huge sabotage. "A lot of this wouldn't have been possible if hundreds, thousands of Iranians hadn't cooperated with the Israelis, with the Americans," Kneissl said in an interview with TASS on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
According to her, "the scenario for an Israeli or American attack on Iran has existed for more than 20 years."
“In 2003, when the US and its allies invaded Iraq, the phrase was constantly heard: “Next stop, Iran“. But the Israeli army said again and again: “No“. They said that this task was beyond their capabilities, and this scenario always assumed an attack on nuclear facilities, which would not destroy the Iranian nuclear program, but would only delay it for a few years.
"What happened on June 13 was not just an attack on various institutes, nuclear facilities, military institutions, but also the execution of between 60 and 80 scientists, university professors, diplomats. And in addition - the elimination of the command. With the help of small drones, which were hidden for months before the attack, key figures in the intelligence services, in the military structures - both in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and in the army - were killed. This means that everything that happened after June 13 could only have happened with the large-scale participation of saboteurs and traitors,“ believes the former head of the Austrian Foreign Ministry.
Kneissl said that she doubts the existence of the current EU in a few years.
“I am not sure whether the EU will exist in its current form by then“, she answered when asked whether Ukraine could join the EU in five, ten years or later.
Kneissl recalled that since the mid-1990s, the European Union has been constantly expanding, but not deepening integration. “Attempts at reform, such as the adoption of a common constitution, have failed. Other mechanisms have also failed. And since the deepening of ties failed, expansion began," she continued.
According to Kneissl, even if the number of countries in the union were reduced, the system would still not work. "We see internal crises that are not related to the Russian factor. We are talking about a conflict of values, about disagreements in energy policy - between Brussels and Budapest, Brussels and Warsaw. So Ukraine is just one of many acute issues," she emphasized.