The US and Israel convened the first meeting of a new strategic group to coordinate on Iran on Thursday. The forum, known as the US-Israel Strategic Consultative Group, is headed by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben Shabbat.
“During the discussion, the two sides shared perspectives on regional security issues of mutual interest and concern, including Iran, and expressed their common determination to confront the challenges and threats facing the region,” National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.
The US and Israel established a similar working group during the Obama administration, although the talks were more secretive, and the group was disbanded over disagreements on the Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly hoping to avoid a confrontational relationship with President Biden, which is why Israel’s opposition to the JCPOA will be mostly expressed through this working group. But Netanyahu has made his opposition to Biden reviving the deal known.
In an interview on Wednesday, President Biden’s envoy for Iran said the US is hoping to avoid a repeat of the contentious relationship with Israel when the JCPOA was negotiated. “We don’t always agree, but the talks are extremely open and positive. While we may have different interpretations and views as to what happened in 2015–2016, neither of us wishes to repeat it,” Robert Malley said.
So far, Iran remains under crippling economic sanctions, and the Biden administration has not made a sincere effort to revive the JCPOA. Besides the pressure from Israel, President Biden is also under intense domestic pressure not to return to the original agreement.
The servants meeting with their evil masters.
“The US and Israel established a similar working group during the Obama administration, although the talks were more secretive, and the group was disbanded over disagreements on the Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.”
Israel has made it abundantly clear that they are still against the JCPOA. Why waste time? And the JCPOA was 5 + 1 with Israel not being part of the 5 or the 1 so there is no reason for them to be involved whatsoever.
As shown in this article, Iran has made it very clear that the United States has a very limited window of time to fix the nuclear deal:
https://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-biden-administration-and-iran-file.html
The real danger, according to Noam Chomsky, is that Iran may say “screw it” and pull out of the NPT it signed in 1968, ratified in 1970. It would appear that our government, no matter what political party has the White House, really, really wants Israel to fulfill its mission and attack Iran. That would signal an effort by Iran to develop a bomb or two that can be delivered by fighter aircraft. Since 1970 Iran has been playing by the rules.
I doubt it, I think nukes would be of very little practical value to Iran. The significant consequence of continued sanctions of Iran, along with Russia and China, is that all the sanctioned countries are drawn together in implicit alliances that they would not otherwise consider. The communists of China, nationalists of Russia and theocrats of Iran are not natural bed fellows – but American antagonism manufactures its own enemies. This is the downfall of the American empire – not a nuclear Iran but an entire world forced into opposing the American agenda.
[repetitive spammy flooding deleted by moderator — write real comments or go away – TLK]
Israel expected to take on Iran? Or US pushed into war with Iran?
Saudi Arabia prior to 2017 was a loyal ally. But between 2014-2017 it was leaned on to finance and support logistically the plethora of Islamic fundamentalist militancy. From various “rebels” in Syria, or Sunni-based groups in Iraq. and on to ISIS — Saudi former Minister of Interior, then Deputy head of government, and then Crown Prince, supported them all. He even got “George Tennet” medal for “anti-terrorism”!
Mohammed Bin Nayef was Saudi Arabia we shaped. But it ended in June 2017.
Today, Biden will talk only to King to tell him to oust his son, MBS — and reinstate MBN.
How naive. It is not what King wants, but what Saudi clans want. And they are done with rulers like MBN, and expenditures on Caliphate, while US acts magnanimous “fighting” ISIS, for its own re-insertion into Iraq.
Money is now redirected into economy, and curiously, just as domestic focus is ramping up, I see articles on Saudi youth concerns with — employment! Looking for some NGO material, no doubt.
Saudis will not attack Iran. Neither will anyone else in the Gulf. JCPOA is by now just an alchemist formula — for Iran to demand end i
of sanctions, for Israel to pressure US, and for US to stay relevant in the Gulf.
As for the economy, Iran sells oil to Asia and Turkey. Has already reoriented its economy to Asia. Has all sorts of deals with China and Russia.
The people in Iran we keep on courting are leftover city wealth from the Shah era. They still pine for good old days and trade with the West. But the longer sanctions last – the more intrenched will become Asian trade and investments. As well as infrastructure, transit connectivity and trade hubs.
We keep on talking about Iran currency as if it is still tied to Western measuring sticks. Restructuring to Asian economy affects currency, and that is not always negative. Russia’s Ruble for example is a little over one US cent. Yet, it has restructured economy under sanctions, and amassed gold and currency reserves, while becoming world number one exporter of grains.
Japan’s yen is less than US cent, yet the country is an export giant.
I am concerned that Israel’s need to remain the dominant power in the Middle East is skewing our global policy into a straight jacket of Israeli needs and fears.
Anyone who things that Iran is not an aggressor is delusional. they train their terrorist armies around a mock up of the Dome of the Rock bearing an Iranian flag.
Seems to me that the real aggressors in the ME are the US and Israel along with KSA.
Believe what you want-Iranian forces are in Lebanon and Syria
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/russia-concerned-by-alarming-situation-in-myanmar-3562551
The risks in providing arms and military training. The opposition may be supported by Western NGOs or governments. I can’t confirm that.