Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and US State Department Secretary Anthony Blinken stressed their determination to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.
Lapid and Blinken announced this at a joint press conference following the talks in Israel.
Lapid commented on ongoing talks on Iran’s nuclear program in Vienna.
“The world cannot allow Iran to have a nuclear arsenal. We cannot allow the IRGC to sow terror around the world,” he said.
Opinions on the nuclear deal differ
Lapid said the United States and Israel disagree on the Iran nuclear deal in Vienna. “There are disagreements (with the US) on the nuclear deal. But open and honest dialogue is part of our strong friendship with the United States. Israel and the United States will continue to work together to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power,” he said.
At the same time, Israel will do whatever it deems necessary to stop Iran’s nuclear program, the head of Israeli diplomacy said. “Whatever happens. Iran’s threats are not theoretical. Iran wants to destroy Israel. They won’t succeed. We will not allow this,” he said.
The head of the US State Department, in turn, touched on the situation around Ukraine. Blinken stressed that the United States supports the EU countries in reducing dependence on Russia in the energy sector.
Blinken said that he visited Ukrainian refugees who fled to Poland because of the war unleashed by Russia. Blinken drew attention to the fact that “more than half of Ukrainian children have been displaced.”
Speaking about the goals of his tour of Israel, the West Bank, Morocco and Algeria, Blinken said: “This is a region where the United States has vital interests. Also, some of the closest friends of the US are located here,” he said.
Blinken will visit Israel, Palestine (West Bank of Jordan), Morocco and Algeria on March 26-30 as part of a tour of the Middle East and North Africa.