US and Israeli Security Officials Discussed Iran
A meeting of the US-Israel consultation working group was held. The focus of this meeting was Middle Eastern issues with emphasis on developments regarding Iran. The United States has committed itself to consulting with its allies in the region.
According to news agencies, on Thursday, March 21, 1401 (March 11, 2022), the first meeting of the US-Israel consultation working group was held via video in a virtual format. Senior national security officials from both countries attended this meeting.
Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, and his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben-Shabbat, chaired the meeting.
Emily Horne, spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House, announced in a statement about the virtual meeting with the participation of strategic teams from both countries, that “regional security issues, including the Iran issue which is a matter of mutual concern” were discussed and the parties “emphasized their shared determination to confront regional challenges and threats.”
According to the Associated Press, while the Biden administration is working to revive the nuclear agreement (JCPOA), the goal of the security meeting with Israel is to reassure that country about future agreements.
Israel strongly warned the United States about “the danger of returning to the JCPOA” and considered the previous agreement as beneficial to accelerating Iran’s nuclear program and consequently detrimental to Israel.
Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State, said on Wednesday (March 10) in a session of the House Foreign Relations Committee of Congress that the Biden administration is committed to consultations with Israel and other Persian Gulf countries “about everything we might do in connection with an agreement with Iran.”
According to news agencies, previously, Israeli and American policymakers had reached an agreement on informing about their approach to the nuclear dispute with Iran.
Gabi Ashkenazi, Israel’s Foreign Minister, stated that the agreement between the two countries is based on two pillars: first, informing the other party before taking any action regarding Iran’s nuclear program, and second, alignment in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
In this regard, the US Secretary of State announced that any agreement between the United States and Iran affects Israel and other Persian Gulf countries, therefore Washington needs to consult with them.
Source: DW
