Lapid to Borrell: Tehran visit 'strategic mistake'

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Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid strongly criticized EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, over a visit to Tehran with an aim to revive talks over the Iranian nuclear deal, which the Israeli occupation has long opposed, POLITICO revealed.

The website mentioned that "Borrell reached out to Lapid ahead of his visit to Tehran, where on Saturday Borrell said he had secured an agreement to resume talks."

Lapid accused Borell of disregarding allegations that Iran was planning to kill Israeli civilians in Turkey.

A diplomat briefed on the exchange told POLITICO that “Borrell sent a message to Yair Lapid before the trip to Tehran in which he described his attempt to bring Iran back to the nuclear agreement negotiations, and to remove the last obstacles.” 

“In response to the message, Lapid replied to Borrell that his position was very disappointing, especially after the removal of the cameras and the condemnation [by the] IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] board,” the diplomat revealed.

Lapid told Borrell that “this is a strategic mistake that sends the wrong message to Iran,” and that “Talking about the great potential in the Iranian context, while Iran is trying to murder Israeli citizens throughout the world and especially in Turkey, indicates a worrying lack of care for the lives of Israeli citizens,” the diplomat indicated.

According to POLITICO, "an EU official noted that Borrell traveled to Iran in his facilitator role, as the neutral coordinator of negotiations, and that he had succeeded in securing the agreement of the Iranians to resume “proximity talks” with U.S. negotiators in coming days."

It is noteworthy that at the end of his meeting in Iran, Borrell said that “The negotiations were stalled — no prospects of restarting — and thanks to these discussions, in the coming days they will start again, with close contacts between the United States and the Iranians.”