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Roll up, roll up, for the "Greatest Show on Earth!"

That was the view from Tehran before the Israeli Prime Minister had even opened his mouth.

Benjamin Netanyahu's media presentation from the defence HQ in Tel Aviv was nothing more than a "stunt".

Iran's Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, tweeted: "The boy who can't stop crying wolf is at it again", alongside an image of a cartoon bomb that "Bibi" presented to the UN General Assembly in 2012 to warn of the perils of a nuclear-armed Iran.

And what we got when Mr Netanyahu did start speaking was vintage Bibi, as he is referred to in Israel.

He was in his element on stage with the world's cameras rolling.

And there was more than just the faint whiff of David Copperfield as he whisked back a curtain to reveal what was claimed to be one of the most significant and stunning hauls of intelligence in Israeli history.

:: Israeli claim of Iran's nuclear 'lies' causes international disagreement

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The boys and girls from Mossad had managed to make off with "half a ton" of documents, files, CDs and data, which was described as Iran's nuclear archive.

And they were now being presented to the world in a grand "I told you so" moment.

This was proof, it was claimed, that Iran was "brazenly lying" about its military nuclear programme, which it had developed extensively until 2003, and even now in 2018, was still active.

Israel claims the intelligence swag shows unequivocally that Iran is in breach of the nuclear agreement brokered in 2015, and it should be ripped up.

Under the terms of the deal the country agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

The Israeli leader, though, has always been against the agreement and many people will interpret this intervention as primarily political.

The signatories of the Iran deal were well aware that Iran had an active nuclear programme until 2003.

That was why the Vienna agreement was so important - it may not be ideal, but at least it stops Iran from building a bomb for at least the next decade.

But amidst the PowerPoint flashiness and the props, was there a "smoking gun"?

The information revealed was fascinating, but it is unlikely that anyone who is in favour of the nuclear deal will change their mind after watching last night's performance.

But that is not to say it did not achieve its objectives - the presentation was not really about the power of persuasion.

It was almost certainly choreographed with the White House and what it did was two things.

Firstly, it provides Donald Trump with the "evidence" he needs to withdraw from the deal.

Remember, a US President cannot just tear up an agreement without good reason just because he does not like his predecessor, and therefore his signature foreign policy achievement.

Secondly, if Mr Trump decides to renegotiate, it gives him space and bargaining power in the ongoing diplomatic talks to strengthen the deal in his favour.

He could push, for instance, for curbs to Iran's ballistic missile programme, and for Tehran to desist from sponsoring Shiite militias in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon.

That route appears less likely.

The US leader, in reacting to the intel reveal, said it proved he was "100% right" all the time when he called the deal flawed.

But Bibi's Ted Talk-style presentation also had a subtext that is easily missed.

If the world does not act against Iran to stop what Israel calls its aggression across the region, Israel will act - and it would seem increasingly it has the backing of the US to make that fight.

This was also, then, about laying out a pathway to pursue a more aggressive policy in Syria.

The drumbeat of war has been beating for some time, but last night the chance of a more open and pronounced clash between the two old foes got a little bit stronger.