US assures Israel of ‘steadfast’ commitment to defense against Iran
Washington, Aug 23 (EFE).- The United States’ national security advisor on Tuesday conveyed to his Israeli counterpart his country’s “steadfast” commitment to Israel’s defense against Iran and its allies.
Jake Sullivan met Eyal Hulata at the White House “to consult on a broad range of global issues and issues of mutual concern,” the White House said in a statement.
“Sullivan underscored President (Joe) Biden’s steadfast commitment to preserve and strengthen Israel’s capability to deter its enemies and to defend itself by itself against any threat or combination of threats, including from Iran and Iranian-backed proxies; and our commitment to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon,” it added.
On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said his country will do everything possible so that the new nuclear agreement being negotiated with Iran does not materialize and announced that he will travel to the US later in the week.
“We will do everything we can to influence the agreement,” Gantz said during a political event.
He emphasized Israel’s rejection of the agreement and said it “will know how to maintain its freedom of action as needed.”
The official said that Israel was in touch with the US and other countries about talks to restore the nuclear deal with Iran.
Shortly after these remarks, the defense ministry announced that Gantz will travel to the US on Thursday.
He will meet the chief of the US Central Command Michael Kurilla in Florida, and then Sullivan in Washington.
On Tuesday, acting Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid expressed his opposition to the new nuclear deal to French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Israel will continue to do everything it can in order to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities,” he said, in a likely allusion to the use of force, something that the Israeli leadership has threatened on multiple occasions.
Iran has been negotiating for 16 months with Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and, indirectly, with the US the restoration of the 2015 nuclear agreement, which restricted the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions until it was abandoned in 2018 by then US president Donald Trump. EFE
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