Sullivan: US Preparing for Non-Diplomatic Options if JCPOA Talks Fail

Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, said on the sidelines of a meeting with his Israeli counterpart that the United States is committed to diplomacy as “the best means to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.” Mr. Sullivan also stated that at the same time, the US is “preparing alternative options in coordination with its partners in case diplomacy fails.”

The White House announced on Wednesday evening, February 25, that a virtual meeting of the US-Israel Strategic Consultative Group (SCG) was held with the participation of Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, and Dr. Eyal Hulata, Israel’s National Security Advisor.

The statement noted that “major regional developments since the last meeting of the Strategic Consultative Group in December of last year, including developments in Iran’s nuclear program” were among the other topics discussed by officials from the two countries.

Iran and the US are pursuing indirect negotiations in Vienna, Austria. The Biden administration says that if Iran returns to its JCPOA commitments, the US will also return to the nuclear agreement. In contrast, the Islamic Republic says it will return to these commitments only if the Biden administration lifts all sanctions imposed against Iran.

Israel, on the other hand, is among the critics of the nuclear agreement with Iran. Naftali Bennett, Israel’s Prime Minister, previously stated that an acceptable nuclear agreement for Israel is one that does not allow the Islamic Republic to enrich uranium at high concentrations, and Iran must abandon its nuclear weapons program.

US and British officials warned in recent weeks that nuclear negotiations in Vienna are progressing slowly and according to the British Foreign Secretary are “approaching a dangerous impasse.”

Source: Voice of America