Gantz to Sullivan: 'Israel' against presented nuclear deal

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Aug 00:11
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During his visit to the US, the Israeli Security Minister reiterates "Israel's" refusal to the Iranian nuclear deal.

Gantz with Sullivan

The Israeli occupation Security Ministry said on Friday that Security Minister Benny Gantz presented measures to prevent Iran from obtaining alleged nuclear weapons at a meeting with White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in the United States.

Earlier in the week, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said that Iran had agreed to some concessions as part of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiations with the US to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement.

In a statement, the Israeli ministry said that "Gantz told Adviser Sullivan that Israel is against a nuclear deal as it has already been presented to interested parties and highlighted several measures that are decisive in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."

According to the Israeli Security Ministry, Gantz stressed the need to develop defensive and offensive potential against Tehran's nuclear program and its alleged "aggression in the region" regardless of the discussion about a possible deal.

The Israeli occupation minister arrived on an official visit to the US on Thursday and held a series of meetings at the CENTCOM headquarters in Florida as tensions reportedly grew between the allies over the Iranian deal.

It is noteworthy that in early August, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian pointed out that nuclear weapons have no place in the Islamic Republic’s doctrine and contrast with the country's religious beliefs and policies.

Tensions in US-Israeli relationship: Axios

Tensions are mounting in the relationship between the Israeli occupation and the United States amid reported progress in efforts to revive the JCPOA, Axios reported.

"A deal might be closer than it was two weeks ago but the outcome remains uncertain as some gaps remain. In any case, it doesn’t seem to be imminent," a US official told Axios on Saturday.

According to Israeli officials cited by Axios, there has been "intense" dialogue behind closed doors between "Israel" and the US in recent days, with the discussion becoming "more difficult".

White House officials have been trying to reassure their Israeli counterparts that there have been no new concessions to Iran, Axios said citing US officials.

However, senior Israeli officials said that Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid told the White House that the EU draft goes beyond the 2015 deal and crosses the Biden administration’s red lines.

The nuclear agreement is critical to ending unilateral US sanctions on Iranian oil exports and allowing Tehran's legitimate return to the export market for oil.

The European Union had proposed easing sanctions on Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) in order to revive the Iranian nuclear deal, US media reported earlier in the month.

The proposal, brokered by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in coordination with US officials, is not seeking the suspension of sanctions against the IRGC but may "significantly limit their effectiveness."

Iran announced Wednesday that it had received a response from the US to its proposals on a final EU draft on the revival of the 2015 accord, marking another step taken closer toward an agreement.