There is one sure way to persuade Iran to press on with its programme to build the bomb. That’s for Israel to go ahead and bomb Iran.

Whatever one’s views about the toppling of Saddam Hussein, George W. Bush and Tony Blair made a grievous mistake when they invaded Iraq. They did not properly consider what would happen next. The risk is the US will repeat the error by backing Israeli strikes against Iran.

We don’t know whether the Israeli government has a definitive plan to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities before the US presidential election. The evidence is that senior figures in the Israeli intelligence and military establishments are somewhere between deeply cautious and hostile about such action. On the other hand, Benjamin Netanyahu may well prove vainglorious and reckless enough to overrule them.