Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid said Sept. 12 in Berlin that reviving the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Iran deal would be a critical mistake that could generate a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and start new waves of terror attacks in the region. Lapid also said he provided German Chancellor Olaf Scholz with sensitive information on the Iranian nuclear program.

Speaking at a press conference after his meeting with Scholz, Lapid stated, "It is time to move past the failed negotiations with Iran. They cannot and will not achieve the goals we all share to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. We discussed the need for a new strategy to stop Iran's nuclear program. A nuclear Iran will destabilize the Middle East and create a nuclear arms race that will endanger the entire world. Returning to the nuclear agreement under the current conditions would be a critical mistake. Removing sanctions and pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into Iran would bring a wave of terrorism not only to the Middle East but across Europe."

Commenting on bilateral ties, Lapid noted his visit “aims to conclude the final details of a strategic partnership agreement between Israel and Germany. It is a practical expression of Germany’s commitment to Israel’s security as a Jewish and democratic state, a commitment you [Scholz] reaffirmed when you took office. Israel will play a role in building Germany’s new defense force, mainly in the field of air defense.”

Ahead of Lapid’s departure to Berlin, Israel’s Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor said, “The trip of the prime minister, in essence, is saying, ‘I traveled to Washington, I traveled to France, I traveled to the different countries of the Abraham Accords. I’m coming to Germany because this is the most substantial relationship we have in Europe.'”