Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz told US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Friday that Washington “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.
During the meeting, Gantz stressed that the Zionist entity will also retain its operational freedom even if a deal is reached, Israeli media reported.
A senior Israeli defense official said that the Americans responded positively to Gantz’s comments, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The official said that even if a deal is signed, Gantz spoke with Sullivan about the “need to continue joint American-Israeli activities against Iran as part of global efforts to undermine Tehran’s nuclear progress.”
“A nuclear deal is not a peace treaty,” the official said. “A military threat has a lot of weight that can help create a deterrence even in a reality in which there is a deal.”
Officials in Gantz’s circle of advisers are of the opinion that the decision by the Trump administration to exit the JCPOA – the previous nuclear deal signed in 2015 – was a mistake, the Israeli daily added.
According to the official, Gantz expressed his strong opposition to the deal and added that while there is a disagreement with the Americans on the proposed deal, the US and the Zionist entity have a strong alliance and “it is legitimate to have disagreements.”
Source: Israeli media
