Defense Minister Ehud Barak told CNN on Thursday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has lost his legitimacy, and that his fall would be a "very positive" development. Barak said that the exit of Assad would weaken Iranian influence in the region and that anti-Israel Iranian proxies in Lebanon and Gaza would suffer if Assad is overthrown. "The toppling of Assad will be ... a major blow to Iran," Barak told CNN. "It will be a very positive event." Israel considers Iran the most serious threat to its existence. Iran and Syria are close allies. Nevertheless, Barak asserted, the world is not doing enough to force Assad out. Barak also spoke about Iran's progress toward building a nuclear weapon. He said that while Iran is not explicitly stating that it is developing a weapon, it is making progress. "He [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] understands that if he starts to break the IAEA and starts to actually build a weapon he might himself be faced with an American response or an Israeli response or whoever, in a way that might damage him," Barak said. According to an AFP report, such responses were likely discussed during Barak's meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday at the Pentagon.
The U.S. called for tougher measures on Thursday to hold Syria to a cease-fire meant to end its bloody 13-month crackdown on opponents.
Fall of Assad would be 'very positive,' Barak says
Barak: The exit of Syrian President Bashar Assad would weaken Iranian influence in the region • In a closed-door session, Barak meets U.S. defense secretary at the Pentagon on Thursday to discuss "mutual defense interests" in the Middle East.
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