Despite reports that the US and Iran are close to renewing the 2015 nuclear deal, Israeli officials believe there are still ways to prevent this.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Israel Hayom has learned that since the beginning of the week, Jerusalem has not received any updates from Washington on the talks, which has led to frustration in the diplomatic and security echelon.
"The mood is not positive," one official said. "It's true that in the past, we were already in a situation where it seemed the parties were close to signing an agreement, but the feeling is that it is different this time and that it is going to happen. Nevertheless, nothing is final yet."
He also addressed the cancellation of National Security Advisor Dr. Eyal Hulata's meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, saying it happened due to a technical reason.
"Blinken wanted to meet Hulata, but he stayed outside of Washington for three days, so that didn't help," the official said. Hulata did meet, however, with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. According to a White House press release, the two discussed, among other things, "a broad range of global issues and issues of mutual concern" and "advancing regional integration and normalization with the Arab world."
Sullivan underscored 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 "to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon." Defense Minister Benny Gantz was set to make a similar visit to the US this week in the goal of expressing Israel's concern over the nuclear deal. "We will do everything we can to influence the deal," Gantz told the Israeli media on Sunday.
Meanwhile, another diplomatic official is more optimistic and convinced that there are ways to prevent the renewal of the nuclear deal.
He said that appeals by Israel to the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the White House, will help achieve that because "the US political system is before the mid-term elections, which Israel can leverage. President Biden has no political benefit from this pact."
What could also delay the process is the open investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency into Iran's suspicious activities that could be part of a military nuclear program. Tehran is greatly concerned with these probes and has called on the agency to cease them.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi insists on continuing the investigations and rejects Western pressure to give in to Tehran, telling CNN that the probes would not be impacted by the deal as the agency is independent. Support for Grossi in the international arena will make it difficult for Washington to go ahead with the renewal.
The official said that Israel could also stress the adverse effects the agreement would have on regional alliances. "The hundreds of billions that Iran will receive will be directed to regional terrorism, which will harm Israel and America's allies in the Gulf and its forces in the Middle East. We need to mobilize the regional allies to emphasize this. Exerting the right amount of pressure can yield results."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
