The Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, concluded a meeting this evening (Friday) with the National Security Adviser of the USA, Jake Sullivan.
At the meeting, the two discussed the issue of the nuclear agreement with Iran, and the need to strengthen security cooperation between Israel and the US in the region. The Defense Minister told Sullivan that Israel opposes the nuclear agreement as presented and emphasized to him a number of important elements that must be met so that Iran cannot progress to nuclear weapons.
The Defense Minister also emphasized the importance of continuing to maintain and promote reliable offensive and defensive operational capabilities in the face of the Iranian nuclear project and Iranian aggression in the region.
This is regardless of the discussion of the agreement.
Jack Sullivan expressed the commitment of the Biden administration to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, photo: AFP
Iranian nuclear facility, photo: AFP
A senior security source informs that, according to the source, despite the differences with the Americans, in the meetings Gantz emphasized the need for a reliable American military option.
At the same time, he clarified that Israel maintains its freedom of action.
The parties understand that a nuclear agreement, if signed despite Israel's position that it is not good, is not a peace agreement and the joint efforts against Iran will continue.
"A military threat has enormous weight that can create deterrence even in reality if there is an agreement," he explained.
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According to the source, "the withdrawal from the nuclear agreement turned out to be a mistake. The question is what to do now. The State of Israel influenced and influences the emerging agreement, but as of this moment it is far from serving the Israeli interest and the Minister of Defense expressed his opposition in the room, in his own way. These messages were received and are being taken into account in my opinion."
There are two things that bother the Israeli government and the security forces.
The sunset - the expiration date of some of the restrictions on Iran, and the date when they can resume centrifuge activity and the flow of funds to Iranian terrorism in the region as a result of the lifting of sanctions.
According to him, Gantz's meeting with Sullivan is a show of strength.
"I feel that there is a lot of attention among the Americans," he explained.
"The State of Israel, the Israeli government and the professional bodies are working together and I think we are influencing and that we are being listened to, even if the Americans in the end don't get everything we want."
According to him, the Israeli influence in the region is getting stronger.
"The region's players are just as upset as we are about the emerging agreement," he said.
"We have dialogue channels. In many ways, they are betting on us that we will convince and influence. The process between us and the regional players will not be affected. The desire of the regional players to deepen the dialogue with us under the Centcom umbrella will continue."
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