US, Israel Reschedule Iran Talks After White House Cancellation: Report
Israel and the US are set to reconvene a joint meeting on Iran next month, mere days after the White House canceled it, according to Axios, citing five officials from both nations.
The meeting, originally scheduled for last Thursday, was reportedly canceled in response to a video by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing the Biden administration of withholding military aid amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Senior Israeli and US officials, as reported by Axios, say that although a date for the new meeting has not been set, it is expected to occur in mid-July, before Netanyahu’s scheduled address to the US Congress on July 24.
A senior Israeli delegation headed by national security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Minister Ron Dermer will travel to Washington for the talks, according to the same report. Talks are likely to focus on concerns in Israel, over advancements in Iran's nuclear program, with fears that they could be tied to potential weaponization efforts.
The US-Israel strategic consultative group (SCG), the forum for the two countries to discuss the state of the Iranian nuclear program, has not convened since March 2023.
US and Israeli officials say that the Iranian nuclear program has significantly escalated since then, according to Axios. This month, G7 leaders urged Tehran to cease and reverse its nuclear escalations and stop its enrichment of uranium that they said have no credible justifications, according to a draft communique seen by Reuters.
Tehran has consistently asserted that its nuclear program is peaceful.
US-Israel Tensions Amid Fears of All-Out War with Hezbollah
Jerusalem’s latest tensions with Washington come as there are mounting fears of an all-out Israel-Hezbollah war.
In parallel with the ongoing war in Gaza, the heavily armed, Iran-backed Hezbollah group has been exchanging fire with Israel for over eight months.
In recent weeks, intensified shelling on Israel's northern border has led to the evacuation of tens of thousands from both sides of the frontier.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated on Tuesday that the US is urgently working towards a diplomatic agreement to allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return to their homes on both sides of the border.
Both Israeli and US officials say they are hoping to resolve the conflict with Hezbollah, preferring a diplomatic solution.
This week, Netanyahu announced that the "intense phase" of fighting Hamas in Gaza is nearing its end, allowing Israeli forces to shift their focus to confronting Hezbollah along the northern border with Lebanon.
