U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday sought to reassure a wary Israel and its Gulf Arab allies that the Biden administration is committed to their security ahead of the possible renewal of global powers’ international nuclear deal with Iran.
JERUSALEM —
Although Iran has since raced ahead with its nuclear program, Israel and Gulf Arab countries are deeply concerned about restoring the original deal. Israel fears it does not include enough safeguards to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Both Israel and its Gulf allies also believe that relief from economic sanctions will allow Iran to step up its military activities across the region, including support for hostile militant groups.
Meanwhile, a senior European official was in Tehran on Sunday to try to unsnag the talks a day after Iran’s top diplomat publicly signaled flexibility over the IRGC designation. In addition to Blinken and Lapid, their counterparts from Bahrain, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt were attending. All four countries are considered moderate Sunni Muslim nations. Jordan, another pro-Western Arab country that has a peace agreement with Israel, declined an invitation, apparently in solidarity with the Palestinians.
He said discussions would likely focus on the aftermath of a nuclear deal, with each country looking for different things, whether it be security guarantees, weapons systems, intelligence or diplomatic support. “Each country has its own wish list, but the common denominator is Iran,” he said.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Blinken tries to calm allies ahead of possible Iran dealJERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday tried to soothe the fears of Israel and its Gulf Arab allies ahead of the possible renewal of global powers’ international nuclear deal with Iran.
Read more »
Blinken Tries to Calm Allies Ahead of Possible Iran DealThe Biden administration has been working to renew the 2015 nuclear deal, which placed curbs on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanctions relief
Read more »
Blinken set to see Israelis, Arabs wary about Iran, UkraineU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will try to use his three-nation tour of the Middle East and North Africa to reassure wary Israelis and Arabs that the Biden administration is committed to the region’s security at a time when Washington is confronting multiple foreign policy challenges.
Read more »
Blinken meets Israel, Arab partners as looming renewed Iran deal rattles tiesWithout an agreement, the Biden administration has warned Iran is just weeks away from having enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb.
Read more »
Blinken Set to See Israelis, Arabs Wary About Iran, UkraineU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will try to use his three-nation tour of the Middle East and North Africa to reassure wary Israelis and Arabs that the Biden administration is committed to the region’s security at a time when Washington is confronting multiple foreign policy challenges.
Read more »