US trying to end what Iran is not even trying to start: nukes
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Blinken emphasizes that the Biden administration remains committed to the so-called "Abraham Accords", in an attempt to persuade Arab nations to establish formal ties with "Israel".
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a press conference at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on September 8, 2021 (AFP)
At the American "Israel" Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed his country's efforts to block Iran from developing any nuclear weapons - a project even Iran has denied investing in.
"If Iran rejects the path of diplomacy, then, as President Biden has repeatedly made clear, all options are on the table to ensure that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons," Blinken said, justifying his statement through the excuse of the "US-Israel relationship" being "underwritten by the United States commitment to Israel's security," calling the commitment "non-negotiable; it is ironclad."
In addition, he further emphasized how important Saudi-Israeli normalization is for the US, which according to the diplomat, "has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. We believe we can and indeed we must play an integral role in advancing it."
Blinken stated that the Biden administration remains committed to the so-called "Abraham Accords", in an attempt to persuade Arab nations to establish formal relations with "Israel".
This comes after Channel 12's political affairs commentator said a senior political official informed him that the occupation Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was not invited by Biden to Washington to avoid talks about Iran, saying it was not the judicial overhaul that denied Netanyahu a visit to Washington but rather that the Americans didn't want to discuss Iran with him.
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"Israel's further integration in the region contributes to a more stable, a more secure and more prosperous region, and a more secure Israel," Blinken told the audience.
According to the top US diplomat, the Biden administration holds "no illusions" of a full and quick Saudi-Israeli normalization.
"But we remain committed to working toward that outcome, including on my trip this week to Jeddah and Riyadh for engagements with Saudi and Gulf counterparts," he said.
"Integration and normalization efforts are not a substitute for progress between Israelis and Palestinians, and they should not come at its expense."
Back in February, Blinken claimed that it was up to Iran to engage to resolve a deadlock over its nuclear program, accusing Tehran of facilitating what he called Russian "aggression in Ukraine."
"We continue to believe that with regard to the nuclear program, the most effective, sustainable way to deal with the challenge is through diplomacy," Blinken said.
A month prior, he claimed that Iran rejected the chance last year to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, saying, "Unfortunately, they rejected what was on the table and had been agreed to by everybody. Their either wouldn’t move forward with it," although it was the US that withdrew unilaterally from the original agreement and has repeatedly shunned calls for talks.
