BICOM

Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, the United States’ lead negotiator in international talks with Iran over its nuclear programme, said that Israel’s security is a paramount factor in the negotiations.

In an interview with Israel’s Channel Ten, Sherman said “Whatever agreement we reach Israel will know about, understand and consulted with us on, because Israel’s security is bedrock and there is no closer security relationship than what we have with each other.”

Sherman was speaking just days before the resumption of talks between representatives of the P5+1 forum (US, UK, China, Russia, France and Germany) and Iranian officials set for later this week. She said the current talks are “for the first time a serious and substantive negotiation.” However, Sherman clarified that “We have not offered any sanctions relief on Iran, and we have not removed any sanctions,” saying “no deal is better than a bad deal.” Sherman commented that “a peaceful negotiated solution,” was the best resolution to the impasse, stressing that “Israel knows as well as any country, if not better than any country, the cost of war, the cost of military action.”

Speaking to his cabinet yesterday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented, “I am convinced that if the pressure is maintained and not relaxed, Iran will dismantle its military nuclear capabilities, and if the pressure is relaxed, Iran will advance toward this goal.” Outgoing National Security Advisor, Yaakov Amidror yesterday described Iran as Israel’s sole “clear existential threat.”

Meanwhile, in Iran itself, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated Tehran’s hostility towards Israel, calling the country an “illegitimate and bastard regime.” It was one of a series of tweets from Khamenei’s account, which also warned against “trusting an enemy who smiles” and “expresses a desire for talks,” while also maintaining that “all options are on the table,” an apparent reference to the United States and its allies.