US official: Biden Will Reject Bennett’s Proposal to Stop Nuclear Agreement Revival
According to a US official, Washington is devoted to a diplomatic path with Iran but has "other avenues to pursue" if diplomacy fails.
According to Reuters, citing a senior US official, President Biden will inform Israeli PM Naftali Bennett during their meeting today of Washington's commitment to maintaining diplomatic relations with Tehran.
Washington's novel dedication to diplomacy
The US official, briefing the media ahead of Biden and Bennett's discussions on Thursday, criticized former President Donald Trump for breaking the global agreement, which allowed Iran to accelerate its nuclear program.
“I think something that is going on outside the headlines is the fact that since the last administration left the Iran nuclear deal, Iran’s nuclear program has just dramatically broken out of the box, and it’s accelerating from week to week,” the official stated.
He added that the US government is always concerned about Iran's nuclear operations, but suggested that Biden will "absolutely reject" Bennett's plan to cease the efforts meant to restore the nuclear agreement.
The official affirmed Washington's dedication to a diplomatic route because, for them, this is the best way to stop the Iranian program and reverse the nuclear achievements of Iran over the last few years. He noted that "if that doesn’t work, there are other avenues to pursue," without elaborating.
Bennett's expectations from meeting with Biden
According to The New York Times, as Israeli PM Naftali Bennett meets with President Biden at the White House, the challenge for the two countries lies in determining whether the two can rebuild the trust - which the then Israeli PM Netenyahu broke with Biden administration after curtailing intelligence sharing with the US - despite their contradictory agendas on Iran. The novel US Biden approach favors a diplomatic route, represented by reviving and building on the 2015 nuclear agreement, while the Israeli approach favors say that only force can stop Iran from building an atomic bomb.
Another goal for Bennett is to find out whether the Biden administration will continue to support "Israel’s" covert operations against Iran’s nuclear program, senior Israeli officials said.
In this context, Bennett met with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin who reaffirmed Washington's support for "Israel's" security and military superiority.
According to Israeli media, after his meeting with members of Congress, Bennett confirmed that stopping Iran from becoming a nuclear state is in the interests of the United States and that the restoration of the nuclear agreement should not be allowed.
If the US commitment to "Israel's" security is maintained, why is Bennett so concerned?
The two-state solution?
To rub salt into the wound, Biden's two-state solution, which is a fundamental aspect of Washington's policy, is expected to be discussed as part of the Palestinian issue with Bennett, the leader of the New Right party that is against the "creation of the state of Palestine."
According to the aforementioned US official, Biden's administration sees limited possibility in the short term to recommence the peace talks that broke down in 2014, however, several steps may be taken to manage the risks associated with rekindling the conflict.
He also stated that Biden and Bennett will address covert efforts to persuade more Arab countries to normalize ties with "Israel", adding that huge efforts are exerted to the end of expanding the range of normalization to include other countries.