From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 28, 2025
Israeli official: US, Israel in close and open contact over Iran’s nuclear program
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Israel and the US are in close, open contact over Iran’s nuclear program, says an Israeli official.
“We have a dialogue with the Americans, the dialogue is not one-sided and we also express positions,” says the official. “There is an ongoing dialogue on many levels. I would urge you to avoid premature conclusions. There is a good, intimate relationship between the governments.”
The official points to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s April 15 statements about dismantling Iran’s weaponization and enrichment programs, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s insistence last week that Iran could have a civilian nuclear program, but only with enrichment outside of Iran.
The US and Iran have so far concluded three rounds of nuclear talks, and are slated to continue discussions on Saturday.
“I am convinced that the United States is committed to preventing nuclear weapons from Iran,” stresses the official.
The official adds that “we don’t know of any [Israeli] connection” to the deadly explosion at the Bandar Abbas port in Iran on Saturday.
Turning to Syria, the official says that Israel “is not interested in Syria becoming a Turkish protectorate.”
“At the same time, we have no interest in friction with Iran on Syrian soil,” the official continues. “Therefore there is dialogue.”
The Times of Israel Community.