National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan hosted his Israeli counterpart Eyal Hulata in Washington on Tuesday to discuss Iran. In the meeting, Sullivan conveyed to Hulata that the US is prepared to “turn to other options” if diplomacy with Iran fails.
“Mr. Sullivan explained that this administration believes diplomacy is the best path to achieve that goal, while also noting that the President has made clear that if diplomacy fails, the United States is prepared to turn to other options,” NSC spokesperson Emily Horne said in a readout of the meeting.
President Biden first said the US would “turn to other options” with Iran alongside Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett when the two leaders met in August. Iran took Biden’s comments as a threat, and for good reason. The Israelis are pushing the Biden administration to abandon its stated plans to revive the nuclear deal and take a more hawkish approach towards Iran.
The US and Israel have been in close coordination on Iran. The talks between Sullivan and Hulata are part of a strategic dialogue on the Islamic Republic that the US and Israel established early in Biden’s presidency.
In September, Sullivan and Hulata held virtual talks and reportedly discussed a “plan B” for Iran. Sources told Axios that Israel wants the US to pursue a “plan B” that involves more economic sanctions on Iran. Around the same time, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz hinted that Israel is working on a “plan C” that involves military action against Iran.
The US has been calling for Iran to return to indirect negotiations to revive the JCPOA that have been stalled since June 20th. Iran has signaled the talks could resume in early November, although the new government of President Ebrahim Raisi wants to know that the Biden administration is serious about reviving the deal and is looking for a gesture of goodwill. The initial round of talks was dragged out due to the Biden administration’s refusal to lift all Trump-era sanctions.
The best and quickest way to bring Iran back to the JCPOA is to immediately suspend all the unilateral sanctions imposed by the Trump Administration. It is beyond laughable to demand that they first come back into compliance with a deal the US broke.
We are sanctioning the h*ll out of Afghanistan. To h*ll with those people, those drat Taliban defeated us. So let’s give em h*ll, starve them, just like Bill did to the Iraqis, killing 500,00 children, yeah baby, you go ‘Murica!!!
And Plan D is still on the table…!
Yeh, somebody quipped, “Let’s just get rid of the damn table.”
What the F does that mean? That we will turn Israel loose??
We already did.
If any other “nation” treated its indigenous people the way the Zionazis treat the Palestinians, we’d…
Oh wait, silly me. Amerikkka did the same thing 🙄
Iran is still the last country to be ‘taken out’ as per Gen. Wesley Clark’s expose of the ‘7 nations in 5 years plan,’ which is a little behind, but still the agenda.
‘If diplomacy fails”… to do what? Prevent Iran from making nuclear weapons they’re already not making? If you want to salvage anything from the JCPOA, drop all the sanctions and guarantee Israel will stop attacking Iran. If you want any of it mean anything, bring Israel into the community of civilized nations and have them sign on to the same inspection and verification regime other nuclear nations are subject to.
They seldom ever talk about why Iran should trust Washington to honor an agreement.
How about letting the UN handle negotiations between Israel and Iran. They’ve allowed the Middle East situation to happen… let them fix it.
Leave America out of it on every level.
Does it seem like the US is meeting with Israel to discuss Iran every week? What is left to discuss? “We’re going to starve, destroy, and kill the Iranians real bad.” Here, we’re done. Anything else to discuss? Oh, wait… You want more money and weapons?
They should try meeting with both countries at a negotiating table. Wait, I hear a helicopter hovering over my house. It’s the MIC. Can’t have talk like that.
Agreed. Funny you reminded me, the title of the article mentions diplomacy. Neither the US or Israel have any idea what diplomacy is all about.
‘US is prepared to “turn to other options” if diplomacy with Iran fails.’ LOL
The USA always uses other options ie attack, invade, sanction, destroy and never diplomacy. It broke the JCPOA and imposed illegal sanctions on Iran which it refuses to lift, the only impediment Iran insists on to allow the USA to rejoin JCPOA. Why on earth should Israel be the one to decide???
What exactly is Iran supposed to take from this?
US wants Iran to return to. JCPOA, else, other means.
Israel does not want JCPOA, period, else other means?
Everyone knows US does NOT want JCPOA, and is posturing. Iran at present does not care if either US or Israel want/do not want JCPOA.
Iran had been given China-Russia guarantees. Financial overt, defense covert.
That being plainly clear to US and Israel — they are meeting frequently as apparently no consensus exists. Israel wants US in the Muddle East ACTIVELY kicking someone, not as stationary fixture.
US cannot afford this — China is the new Soviet Union. And alliances in Asia wobbly and useful in good times only. And US has no money to impress anyone.
There is a real question just how solid is anti-China mood in Taiwan. It may crumble in the face of real threat. Sort of the waking up of Saudi Arabia once it figured out that US wanted them FOR REAL to be the stooge to fight Iran.
US may find out just how solid are Asian friendships.