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Israel and the United States have held secret talks on an alternative plan with Iran
The two-state forum on Iran discusses the course of action in case it does not resume negotiations on a return to the nuclear deal. In Israel
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Lightning Ravid
Wednesday, 22 September 2021, 19:53 Updated: 19:55
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Israel and the United States held secret talks last week during which they discussed an alternative plan in case Iran does not resume negotiations on a nuclear agreement soon - two Israeli officials told Walla!
This was the first time since the formation of the new government that the US-Israeli Strategic Forum met The decision to continue the forum was made by US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at a White House meeting in late August. The
meeting was held in a secure video call. Hulta, alongside them, participated in senior talks in the defense systems and foreign ministries of the two countries.
At the same time, Sullivan is expected to pay a first visit to the Middle East next week.
He is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, and at the same time there are contacts between Israel and the United States about Sullivan's arrival in Jerusalem.
However, it is not yet clear if the schedules will work out in light of Bennett's trip to New York.
The Iranian issue is expected to be one of the main issues that Sullivan will discuss during his visit to the region.
Bennett with Biden during his visit to the White House, August (Photo: AP)
During the secret discussion, the Israeli side stressed the need to move forward with an alternative plan on the Iranian issue in light of the deadlock in negotiations with Iran and the feeling that the Iranians are taking time and progress in the meantime in their nuclear program
. He said the overall message from the US side was that if nuclear talks were not resumed soon the Biden administration would impose new sanctions on Iran
.
Negotiations stuck. Centrifuges in Iran (Photo: Reuters)
The Strategic Forum on Iran was established in the first months of President Barack Obama's tenure and became the central arena in which Jerusalem and Washington discussed disputes over the Iranian issue at the beginning of Obama's second term.
During the tenure of former President Donald Trump, the forum has been working to increase cooperation on the Iranian issue, the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and the promotion of the maximum pressure campaign against Iran.
Last February, a month after President Biden took office, the White House proposed that Israel resume its activities. Netanyahu responded in the affirmative following pressure from Defense Minister Bnei Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. Two rounds of talks took place in March and April.
Talks between Iran and the powers in Vienna were suspended before the Iranian presidential election and since then no date has been set for a new round of talks. The new government in Iran even presented reservations about the draft agreement reached by the government of Spirit I before the election.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdulhian met in New York on Tuesday with EU Foreign Minister Joseph Burrell and informed him that Iran was interested in resuming negotiations within a few weeks. If it will be renewed.
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