Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin Gantz met Friday with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Washington to consult on security issues and their national interests, Iran International reported.
Gantz has also reiterated Israel’s opposition to reviving a nuclear deal with Iran, and pointed out specific components that the US must insist on in order for Iran not to build a nuclear weapon.
He told Sullivan the United States needs to ensure that it retains a viable military option against Iran’s nuclear facilities even if a new deal is reached with the Islamic Republic.
Axios quoted an unnamed senior Israeli defense official as saying that “A nuclear deal is not a peace treaty. A military threat has a lot of weight that can help create a deterrence even in a reality in which there is a deal.” Gantz received "positive hints" about a possible military option when he pressed Sullivan on the issue.
"We feel there is a trajectory for deepening and strengthening the capabilities against Iran and the Americans understand deeply that it will give the Iranians an incentive to be more pragmatic about the nuclear deal and will strengthen their position," the official added.
