Israel's ambassador says not interested in working with US on return to Iran deal
The Biden administration has pledged to consult with Israel and other allies before making any moves to join the landmark nuclear deal.
As US President Joe Biden works to revive the landmark Iranian nuclear agreement, Israel’s envoy to the United States suggested Tuesday that Israel may not consult with the new administration on its steps to reenter.
Biden has pledged to engage with allies and partners, including Israel, before making any moves to join the deal. But Reuters reports that some Israeli officials believe consulting with the Biden administration could backfire for Israel “by falsely signaling its consent for any new deal that it still opposes.”
“We will not be able to be part of such a process if the new administration returns to that deal,” Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Gilad Erdan, told Army Radio.
Biden has pledged to join the multilateral pact, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as a starting point for follow-on negotiations that would “tighten and lengthen Iran’s nuclear constraints” and address the country’s ballistic missile program. Israel’s leaders are skeptical of Biden’s efforts to rejoin the agreement, which they believe undermines their national security.
