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President Isaac Herzog warned Sunday that Israel will defend itself if the ongoing negotiations in Vienna to revive the tattered 2015 nuclear deal fall through.
“Undoubtedly, the biggest challenge facing Israel and the United States is the common threat posed by Iran,” Herzog said during a ceremony in which the newly appointed U.S. eto Israel, Tom Nides, presented his credentials to the president at his Jerusalem residence.
“Israel will accept a solution that will see the nuclear threat solved. In the event of failure, however, Israel will keep all options on the table,” Herzog added.
Herzog further thanked Washington for its unrelenting support for Israel, saying that the alliance between the countries should remain above partisan differences.
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World powers meet in Vienna with Iranian delegation on U.S. return to the 2015 nuclear deal, last April
(Photo: Reuters)
"You need to know that for the people of Israel, it is very important," Herzog said. "I know how important the connection between the countries is to you, and that you intend to further deepen it.”
Nides, on his part, vowed that the two nations will work closely to counter the Iranian threat in the region, adding that the U.S. will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear military capabilities.
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President Isaac Herzog welcomes U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides in his Jerusalem residence on Sunday
(Photo: Reuters)
The U.S. envoy further promised to “stand up against all efforts to isolate and delegitimize Israel internationally.”
The two diplomats' comments on the Iranian issue came hours after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged world powers to take a hard line against Iran in negotiations to curb the country's nuclear program.