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Israel and the United States will open strategic talks on the Iranian nuclear issue

In a discussion convened by Netanyahu, it was decided to accept the American proposal to renew the activities of the Joint Strategic Forum on Iran.

The contacts will be led by National Security Adviser Sullivan and his Israeli counterpart Ben Shabbat.

The first round of talks is expected to take place soon and will focus on "aligning intelligence" regarding the Iranian nuclear program.

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• United States

• Iran

• Nuclear Agreement

• Benjamin Netanyahu

• Barack Obama

• Joe Biden

• Meir Ben Shabbat

Lightning Ravid

Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 5:00 p.m.

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Biden: Ready to return to negotiations with Iran, its subversion in the region must also be addressed (Photo: Reuters)

Israel and the United States have decided to resume strategic talks on the Iranian issue - Walla Walla learned today (Wednesday)!

NEWS.

The first round of talks is expected to take place in the coming days and will focus on "aligning the line" between the two countries regarding the intelligence picture and intelligence assessment regarding Tehran's nuclear program.

The resumption of strategic talks on the Iranian issue is a signal that the Biden government and the Israeli government are currently interested in entering into a quiet, serious and professional dialogue on the Iranian issue and not degenerating into a public political confrontation as took place during President Barack Obama's tenure.

As part of the agreements between the parties, the operation of the Joint Strategic Forum on Iran will be renewed.

The forum was set up in the first months of Obama's tenure, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House in 2009.

So it was a top secret forum that even got a special code name.

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The resumption of talks is a signal that the parties are not interested in degenerating into a public political confrontation.

Netanyahu and Biden, in 2016 (Photo: Government Press Office, Amos Ben Gershom)

At the forum, the United States and Israel formulated a strategy to increase pressure on Iran through US and international sanctions during Obama's first term.

It was also where both sides flooded the disputes and argued over the nuclear deal during Obama's second term.

During the presidency of Donald Trump, the Joint Forum was the place where discussions took place on a possible withdrawal of the United States from the nuclear deal.

The forum later became the place where the two countries coordinated the maximum pressure campaign against Iran, led by the Trump administration.

Those who led the joint forum during these years were the National Security Advisers at the White House and the Prime Minister’s Office.

The forum's deliberations are attended by highly senior representatives of the defense establishment, the intelligence community and the foreign ministries of Israel and the United States.

Will lead the contacts together with his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben Shabbat.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan (Photo: AP, AP)

The proposal to resume the activities of the Strategic Forum on Iran came from the American side.

Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, raised this in his first conversation with his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben Shabbat.

The corona crisis, political tensions and disagreements between the various government ministries delayed the Israeli decision on how to conduct talks with the United States on the Iranian issue, and whether to respond positively to the new administration's proposal.

On Monday, Netanyahu convened his first policy discussion on the Iranian issue since Biden took office.

The discussion was also attended by Defense Minister Bnei Gantz, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, Israeli ambassador to Washington Gilad Ardan and other senior Israeli officials. Retired Maj. Gen. Yaakov Nagel, who previously served as Netanyahu's national security adviser.

The first part of the meeting convened by Netanyahu focused on updating each of the participants on the talks with the Biden government over the past month. Held on various channels between Israel and the United States on the Iranian issue since the inauguration of Joe Biden.

The Israeli side will present all the updated information regarding Iran's nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif (Photo: Reuters)

The second part of the discussion focused on presenting the positions of the various bodies regarding the way in which contacts should be conducted with the Biden administration and with the European powers on the Iranian issue.

Sources involved in the contents of the meeting said that the chief of staff and the head of the Mossad had expressed a position that there should be quiet negotiations with the Biden administration on the Iranian issue and not reach a public confrontation at this stage.

The main decision at the meeting was to accept the US proposal and resume the activities of the Joint Strategic Forum on Iran.

A first meeting of the forum is expected soon.

Against the background of the Corona epidemic and unlike in the past, the Israeli team will not fly to the United States, and the meeting will be virtual and will take place via a secure video call.

The Israeli side wants to take advantage of the first meeting to present all the up-to-date intelligence information in its possession regarding Iran's nuclear program - including a summary of the findings of the nuclear archive.

A source close to the details stated that Israel wants to make sure that there is agreement with the United States on the intelligence picture as well as on the intelligence assessment, or alternatively to understand whether there are disagreements and gaps around the facts and figures that need to be checked and refined.

Only after creating a common database and facts about the Iranian nuclear program will the parties discuss the key question - what is the policy to be taken to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

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