Senior Israeli official: There is not going to be a nuclear deal

A senior official traveling with the Israeli delegation in Berlin says there will be no nuclear deal after Israel provided the Europeans proof that Iran was lying during the talks.

“There’s not going to be a JCPOA, say the Americans and most Europeans. They say we have a lot of reservations about the possibility of a nuclear agreement. Everyone has their own excuse,” says a senior official traveling with Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, says the Europeans, in particular, are afraid that Russia will help Iran evade nuclear sanctions.

“We gave information to the Europeans that proved that the Iranians are lying while talks are still happening. Add to this the fact that the Europeans are more afraid than the Americans that the Russians are a player in this issue, and that the Iranians will have a way to evade sanctions. We of course encouraged this,” the official says.

“It’s time to start a strategic dialogue with the Americans and Europeans about a longer stronger agreement. But what we need now is for the Americans to put a credible military threat (in place,) and everyone to push for a better agreement.”

“We need an agreement without sunset clauses,” the official says.

“There are no talks right now with Iran. There is no one in Vienna. There will be a point at which the schedule will force everyone to say that the talks have ended.״

The official says Israel has succeeded in sidelining US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley in its talks with the US.

“This is out of the hands of Malley’s camp by now. The decisive talks that we are doing with the US are no longer in Malley’s hands,” he says.