Israel Finds US Interest in Saving Iran Nuclear Deal ‘Very Troubling’

Israeli officials uncomfortable with lack of vague allegations against Iran

An outspoken opponent of diplomacy with Iran, and against the P5+1 nuclear deal with Iran, Israel has made its first comments in awhile on the matter, expressing concern at US indications that they are going to engage in diplomacy with Iran and try to save the nuclear deal.

Even though this is largely what was expected of the Biden Administration, Israeli officials say they see it as “very troubling,” and that they’d expected the US to impose a tougher nuclear deal on Iran.

The statements from anonymous Israeli officials went back to the unacceptability of the existing deal, and also indicated upset that the US Ambassador didn’t accuse Iran “of any bad behavior” or suggest the nuclear deal was in any way conditional on consultation with allies.

That Israel would prefer a tack the US took during Trump’s Administration is hardly a secret, but any pretense that they expected that from Biden is unreasonable. Even if some Democrats suggest Biden might look to make the deal tougher, it’s been clear for months that saving the deal at all was going to need to be handled on its own before any changes are discussed.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.