Israeli Channel 13 reported that Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett "stylishly, but sharply" criticized the United States' behavior, adding that Bennett spoke of an "agreement that will pump money to Iran and exacerbate attacks on Israel."

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid also stressed that "Israel is not bound by the nuclear agreement," voicing "concern about the possibility of reaching an agreement."

Lapid said the Israeli side was talking with the Americans, explaining that the dialogue was very intense and aimed at creating accurate talks regarding how to deal with the repercussions of the agreement if it occurs.

Lapid declared that the agreement is not good in any case revealing that "Israel" is concerned. He added that they have made this clear to the Americans, saying that there is full cooperation between them.

Bennett's strategy in dealing with Iran did not work

In terms of media comments, Israeli Channel 13 political affairs commentator Raviv Drucker said in response to a question whether "Israel" would accept the nuclear agreement or continue to fight it, he believed it would accept it "because it has no choice."

He added that "in Israel, they talk about the current democratic American administration in terrible terms, and they talk about the expectation of a Republican president coming who might save them from this agreement."

In the same context, Drucker stressed that Israeli PM Naftali Bennett's strategy, based on not seeking confrontation, has failed.

He explained that this strategy was seeking covert contacts, through which they were thought to affect the agreement without a direct confrontation, noting that Bennett's circle was also admitting they were yet to succeed in influencing the agreement.

An Israeli attack on the crystallized nuclear agreement

In turn, Israeli Channel 13 military affairs commentator Alon Ben David declared that the return to the nuclear agreement with Iran was expected and "should not surprise anyone."

Ben David explained that "this very bad agreement" the Americans reached has deeply disappointed "Israel".

He also emphasized that Israeli officials do not spare "harsh words in closed rooms" about the American administration, as it is "an administration that has turned diplomacy into a religion," signing an agreement with Iran "that does not make sense in reality."

Ben David explained that the agreement made no sense because it dealt with topics that were mentioned in the agreement signed in 2015, but since then, Iran has made a lot of progress toward enrichment.

Ben David added that the Israeli endeavor at these moments would be obtaining from the Americans freedom of action in areas not covered by the agreement, and this means a "set of weapons," which is supposed "to turn enriched materials into a bomb," he claimed, as well as in the field of ballistic missiles.

He also highlighted "Israel" strongly desired to preserve operational freedom for itself and carry out covert operations against these areas, and it was not yet clear if the Americans have agreed to this matter.

Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian revealed that Tehran was "very optimistic about the result of the Vienna talks," adding that his country was never close to achieving a deal in the Vienna talks as it is now when we can reach a deal in a few hours or days."

🇮🇷 #Iran’s foreign min to @amanpour: “We’re very optimistic about the result of the Vienna talks… [But ]now we’re at a very sensitive time. If the talks fail, we believe it’s the Americans and other side that would be responsible for it.” #oott #JCPOA
pic.twitter.com/YV3VaqdPas

— Nader Itayim | ‌‌نادر ایتیّم (@ncitayim) February 20, 2022

Two days ago, a high-level spokesperson at the US State Department declared that a deal could be reached in Vienna in the coming days if Tehran showed "a serious approach to negotiations."

The eighth round of Vienna negotiations on lifting the embargo on Iran resumed between the Iranian delegation and the P4+1 in the Austrian capital on February 10 following an 11-day hiatus for consultations.