The upcoming round of diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran may be the last realistic chance for a negotiated outcome before a war breaks out, former Israel Navy commander, V.-Adm. (res.) Eliezer “Chayni” Marom said during a Wednesday interview with 103FM.
Marom said Israel and the United States appear to be nearing possible military action against Iran, and predicted unprecedented operational coordination between the IDF and the US military.
US President Donald Trump has framed diplomacy as preferable but warned Tehran against testing Washington, saying Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons or missiles that could threaten Europe and the US. Marom added that similar warnings have been heard before, but said the current military signaling suggests an inflection point.
Marom described Thursday’s meeting in Geneva as “critical,” saying that, in his assessment, it represents the final opportunity for a diplomatic solution. He said he does not believe Iran is capable of reaching such a solution, and argued that “all signs” point to a confrontation that is “very close.”
Marom said the presence of the USS Gerald R. Ford near Crete conveys a message that Washington has moved a “massive” capability into the region while still offering Tehran a chance to compromise. He suggested the carrier could move into an operational range within hours, interpreting the posture as a warning backed by readiness.
He also pointed to the US F-22 stealth fighter jets that have landed in Israel, stressing that the aircraft have not been exported to other countries. Marom said the deployment could indicate a plan involving joint Israeli-American operations, including coordinated attacks against Iran.
Marom argued that the US should focus on striking Iranian regime targets in a way that could spur renewed internal unrest, while Israel, in what he described as a defensive move, should target Iran’s ballistic missile array and launchers to make it harder to fire at Israel. He emphasized that Israel’s defense concept includes both active defense and offensive action against launch capabilities.
Asked why the US would need Israeli assistance, Marom cited Israel’s effectiveness in the Israel-Iran war in June, when the state demonstrated an ability to rapidly fuse intelligence and strike time-sensitive targets across Iran.
He said the US appears to have deployed aircraft to enable operational cooperation with the Israel Air Force, calling such coordination “rare” and potentially unprecedented in scope.
Trump may still face opposition at home if a strike occurs
Marom said Trump could face opposition at home to a strike, including from Democrats and even within the Republican Party. Still, he argued that Washington may see the alternative as allowing Iran to continue enriching uranium, making the political and strategic situation harder.
Marom also said the US cannot accept an Iranian proposal to “dilute” enriched uranium inside Iran, because the steps required would effectively support Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
He said Washington wants Iran’s roughly 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% removed from the country, while Tehran’s dilution plan would involve additional processing and mixing that, in his view, would preserve or restore capabilities relevant to weaponization.
“This is Iranian sophistication,” Marom said, adding that he assumes the US “will never agree.”