Israel and the United States "don't see eye to eye" on Iran's nuclear program, an Israeli official said on Wednesday, as U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is in Israel for a series of high-profile meetings.
In brief remarks at the start of his meeting with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in Jerusalem, Sullivan said the two countries are at a "critical juncture" on various security issues, adding: "It's important that we sit together and develop a common strategy, a common outlook."
Israeli officials fear President Joe Biden is overly "eager" to reach an interim agreement with Iran, which would see sanctions removed but not provide sufficient guarantees to keep Tehran's nuclear progress in check.
Biden has other concerns that are higher up on his agenda, Israeli officials believe, expressing their concern he would try and rush an incomplete deal that would allow the administration to have the time to deal more extensively with the coronavirus crisis, inflation in the U.S. and impending clashes with China or Russia.
"What happens in Vienna has profound ramifications for the stability of the Middle East and the security of Israel for the upcoming years," Bennett told Sullivan, referring to the location of the negotiations with Iran.
Israel does not take part in the nuclear talks. However, It has long hinted that, if diplomacy fails, it could resort to military force to prevent Iran from gaining the means to make a bomb.
Sullivan, who has a key role shaping U.S. foreign policy, also met on Tuesday with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and on Wednesday with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Israel's National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata. Later on Wednesday, Sullivan is set to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
Israel has so far completely opposed a return to the 2015 nuclear deal's provision, but still seeks to influence the American position, in part through the officials' meetings with Sullivan.
Instead of offering the lifting of sanctions on Iran as part of any future agreement, Israeli officials are calling on the U.S. to slap more sanctions on Tehran. Such a move, Israeli officials believe, would increase pressure on the regime, as Iran faces a dire economic situation and severe water shortages. Stricter sanction at this time could push Iran to make further concession, officials argue.
Israel is proposing a list of demands, including dismantling of all advanced centrifuges, converting uranium enriched to 60 percent after the U.S. withdrew from the agreement in 2018 back to 20 percent, and establishing stricter inspection mechanisms.
In recent weeks, Israel has also raised additional proposals. One of these is demanding that Tehran agree to refrain from nuclear research and development altogether.
Israel assesses the parties will not revert to the same condition stipulated in the 2015 deal, but rather seek an interim deal. Officials in Jerusalem have also warned that the original deal's conditions would be obsolete by the time a new agreement is finalized. Iran is expected to pass the technological threshold set by the original agreement by January or early February, Israel estimates, while deliberations over Tehran's new, strict list of demands will require more time.