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US President Joe Biden in Washington on February 22, 2021. Photo: Jonathan Ernst / Reuters reuters_tickers
This content was published on February 23, 2021 – July 15:12,
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel Army Radio said on Tuesday that Israel would discuss its differences with the United States on Iran “out of sight” for the time being. The radio attributed this to sources who participated in a strategy-setting session held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The radio added that the Netanyahu government decided to avoid declared differences with US President Joe Biden regarding his desire to return to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, but this approach may change depending on what the administration does. of Biden.
Netanyahu’s office declined to comment.
Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term in elections scheduled for March 23, but unlike what he did in his previous election campaigns, he did not focus on foreign policy, possibly reflecting the change in his fortunes since Biden, the Democrat, took office after Republican Donald. Trump, who was a close ally of Netanyahu.
On Monday, Netanyahu held his first meeting on Iran with Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, both central rivals, in what officials said was an attempt to show a united Israeli front.
Under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran agreed to reduce its ability to enrich uranium in exchange for the removal of most of the imposed sanctions. Netanyahu angered Barack Obama, the president of the United States at the time, and Biden, who served as his deputy, by addressing Congress as part of a lawsuit staunchly opposing the deal.
Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, saying he was aligned with Iran. In 2019, Iran began violating the terms of the agreement and has recently escalated its breaches.
On Thursday, the Biden administration announced that it was ready to hold talks with Iran on the parties that would again comply with the terms of the agreement. A source familiar with the matter said Israel was informed in advance.
Israel said in a statement Friday that it was “in close contact” with Washington on this matter, emphasizing that returning to the 2015 accord “would pave the way for Iran to obtain a nuclear arsenal.”
Israel is rumored to possess the only nuclear arsenal in the Middle East, but it did not confirm or deny it as part of its policy of ambiguity to deter its Arab and Iranian opponents.
Iran, which denies seeking a nuclear weapon, has so far been lukewarm on the Biden administration’s proposals.
(Prepared by Lubna Sabry for the Arabic Bulletin – Edited by Lilian Wagdy)
