The White House is worried that Israel is leaking details of covert negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.
In a phone chat with his Israeli colleague Tzachi Hanegbi last week, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan underlined this reluctance, according to a story published on Wednesday by Axios, which cited three American and Israeli sources.
According to reports, “understandings” have already been made between the U.S. and Iran that point to the possibility of an informal deal aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear goals and easing tensions in the area.
Tom Nides, the departing American ambassador to Israel, refuted the claims in an interview with Israel Hayom.
“There are no agreements.
This has been entirely exaggerated. There is no deal on the table, as we have repeatedly stated. No ‘less-for-less’ transaction exists.
It is nonexistent. Do you think there will eventually be something we can hold onto?
The future? However, nothing exists.
You won’t read about it when you wake up tomorrow, according to Nides. Following previous allegations that he had stated during a private meeting that Israel could “live with” the developing accord, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week reaffirmed the position of his administration on what he called a “mini-agreement.”
The original agreement, the JCPOA [2015 Iran nuclear deal], is what we oppose, Netanyahu said.
We have made it clear to our American friends time and time again, and I will do so again today, that we oppose the agreements, and that will only pave Iran’s way to a bomb and line its pockets with hundreds of billions of dollars,” he added.
“The U.S. is not returning to this accord in part because of our steadfast resistance. We have also informed them that, in our opinion, mini-agreements,’ or the most constrained understandings, do not advance the objective and that we are opposed to them,” the prime minister continued.
Sullivan also discussed the recent bloodshed in Judea and Samaria, expressing his “sincere sympathies” to the Israeli people in the wake of the Palestinian terrorist assault near Eli on June 20 that left four Israelis dead, according to the White House readout of the discussion with Hanegbi from last week.
The administration’s “unwavering support for Israel’s security” and its right to defend its citizens from Palestinian terrorist groups were stressed by Sullivan.
Sullivan also voiced his serious worry over the recent attacks in the West Bank by extreme settlers on Palestinian residents and the destruction of their property.
He emphasized once more how crucial it is to hold perpetrators accountable for violent crimes, according to the statement.
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