Netanyahu publicly rebuffs Blinken on Iran policy

by WorldTribune Staff, May 25, 2021

During a highly anticipated meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly rebuked Team Biden’s Iran policy.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

“We discussed many regional issues, but none is greater than Iran. And I can tell you that I hope that the United States will not go back to the old JCPOA because we believe that that deal paves the way for Iran to have an arsenal of nuclear weapons with international legitimacy,” Netanyahu said during a joint press conference.

“We also reiterated that whatever happens, Israel will always reserve the right to defend itself against a regime committed to our destruction, committed to getting the weapons of mass destruction for that end,” the prime minister added.

Blinken did not comment directly on Netanyahu’s remarks on Iran during the joint press conference.

“We had a detailed discussion about Israel’s security needs, including replenishing Iron Dome,” Blinken later told reporters. “We’ll continue to strengthen all aspects of our longstanding partnership. And that includes consulting closely with Israel, as we did today, on the ongoing negotiations in Vienna around a potential return to the Iran nuclear agreement, at the same time as we continue to work together to counter Iran’s destabilizing actions in the region.”

President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, calling it “a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made.”

After meeting with Netanyahu, Blinken was expected to tour Ramallah, Cairo and Amman. He also plans to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Joe Biden said in an earlier statement that Blinken will “continue our administration’s efforts to rebuild ties to, and support for, the Palestinian people and their leaders, after years of neglect.”

After 11 days of Hamas bombarding Israel and the Jewish State responding by targeting the terrorist group’s infrastructure, a ceasefire was mediated by Egypt.


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