Bennett: Goal in ‘vital’ Biden visit is to form plan to stop Iran nuclear program

Israel’s primary goal during US President Joe Biden’s visit will be “to finalize a clear joint plan of action together with the US to stop Iran’s nuclear program,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says.

“This visit is vital for Israel,” says Bennett, explaining that it will deal with key priorities for Israel over the past year, especially Iran’s nuclear program.

Bennett says that “the world is waking up to Iran’s true face,” pointing to the IAEA censure of Iran earlier this month during its Board of Governors meeting in Geneva.

Bennett makes the comments in his Jerusalem office to Israeli reporters.

Israel is working in the short term to stop Iranian enrichment, he explains. “Iran will understand that in the current reality, without an agreement, we have succeeded,” Bennett argues. “We had a goal of the agreement not being signed.”

In the long term, however, Israel does want an improved agreement, the prime minister says. He defines such a deal as one that permanently prevents Iran from progressing toward a nuclear weapon.