Bennett Says Israel’s Covert Operations Against Iran’s Nuclear Program Continue
Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of Israel, on the eve of his trip to Washington and meeting with Joe Biden, stated that he opposes the Biden administration’s efforts to revive the nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA and that his country’s covert operations against Iran’s nuclear program will continue.
Naftali Bennett, in an interview with the New York Times published on Tuesday, September 24, emphasized that Israel is forming a coalition with Arab countries in the region to counter Iran’s expansionism and hegemonic ambitions.
The Israeli Prime Minister stressed that he will expand Jewish settlements and reject any peace agreement with the Palestinians.
The Israeli Prime Minister stated that in his meeting with the US President, he will present a new strategy regarding Iran that will include strengthening relations with Arab countries opposed to Iran’s regional influence and nuclear ambitions, implementing diplomatic and economic measures against Iran, and continuing Israel’s covert attacks on Iran, including what is called the “gray zone,” will continue.
Naftali Bennett clarified, “What we must do, and what we are doing, is to form a regional coalition of reasonable Arab countries to jointly block Iran’s path of expansionism and hegemony.”
He added, “Israel is here. We are a precise anchor of stability, with the intention of working to preserve security and make this region safer.”
The governments of Israel and the United States are seeking to curb Iran’s regional activities as well as this country’s nuclear program. However, they disagree on the main issue of America’s return to the 2015 nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s former Prime Minister, with explicit and repeated criticism of the possibility of the Biden administration’s return to the JCPOA, warned that in that case, Israel will take necessary measures.
Joe Biden has previously spoken of America’s willingness to return to this agreement. So far, six rounds of negotiations between Iran and JCPOA member states including Britain, Germany, France, Russia, and China have been held with the presence and indirect negotiations of US representatives in Vienna, the capital of Austria. These negotiations were aimed at facilitating full implementation of the JCPOA by Iran and America, which has not yet reached a conclusion.
Negotiations to revive the JCPOA have been suspended since late June, and officials of the Ebrahim Raisi administration have not yet announced their approach regarding these negotiations. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson has promised that the date of the new round of negotiations will be announced after the end of governmental transitions in Iran.
In recent years, Israel has carried out operations against Iranian nuclear facilities and programs within the country. Israel’s Defense Minister also stated in June of this year that Iran “well knows that we are conducting operations in this country’s territory.”
Source: Radio Farda
