Biden: Israel has the right to act even if there’s an Iran deal

Shafaq News / US President Joe Biden accepted Israel’s freedom to act even if world powers reach a nuclear agreement with Iran, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday, a day after the two leaders spoke on the phone.

“Freedom of action” was not mentioned in the context of Iran in the White House readout of the call, released overnight Sunday, which said that “President Biden conveyed his unwavering support for Israel’s security and freedom of action, emphasizing his administration’s full support for replenishing Israel’s Iron Dome system.”

However, Bennett said in a press briefing the following morning that most of the phone call was about Iran and the nuclear negotiations in Vienna, including discussion of Israel’s freedom of action.

“Our stance is known,” Bennett said. “I have expressed it a number of times, and new aspects of it yesterday…I was happy that he clarified explicitly that Israel will maintain its freedom to act in any situation, which is true, whether or not there is a deal…It’s important in relation to Iran.”

The Biden-Bennett call came as negotiating teams headed back to Vienna, for the continuation of the eighth round of talks on Tuesday.

Source: The Jerusalem Post