President Joe Biden meets with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in the White House in Washington, June 28, 2021. (AP/Susan Walsh)
President Reuven Rivlin stressed that Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon is the world’s greatest strategic threat.
By World Israel News Staff
President Joe Biden sought to assure Israel that he would not tolerate a nuclear Iran as he met with outgoing Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Monday amid a major shakeup in Israeli politics and growing angst in Jerusalem over the U.S. administration’s effort to reenter the Iran nuclear deal.
“What I can say to you is that Iran will never get a nuclear weapon on my watch,” said Biden to Rivlin, sitting together in the Oval Office.
Rivlin stressed that Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon is the world’s greatest strategic threat. He also criticized Palestinian moves at the International Criminal Court in The Hague to push with a war crimes probe against the IDF and discussed the aftermath of the 11-day Gaza war in May.
Reviving the nuclear deal is a key foreign policy priority for the Biden administration. Israel opposes the U.S. returning to the JCPOA nuclear agreement from which Washington withdrew in 2018. The sixth round of indirect U.S.-Iran talks in Vienna concluded earlier in June with a new round yet to be scheduled.
The visit came amidst the backdrop of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias near the Syria-Iraq border and a meeting between Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken which many have called a “reset” of Israel-U.S. relations. Both took place on Sunday.
Rivlin also visited Capitol Hill on Monday where he met with a group of representatives, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The only Republican attending was minority whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). Afterwards, Rivlin met with the United Arab Emirates’ Ambassador to Washington Yousef Al Otaibi, who was a key figure in forging the Abraham Accords between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain.
On Tuesday, Rivlin heads to New York for meetings at the United Nations with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and envoys from various countries before returning to Israel.
The U.S. visit is Rivlin’s last as President of Israel. His seven-year terms ends on July 7. He will be replaced by Isaac Herzog.
State Department spokesperson Jennifer Psaki confirmed that the U.S. is working to schedule a visit for Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
Netanyahu said Israel’s policy should focus on preventing threats rather than responding after attacks occur.
Treasury also warned financial institutions Thursday about potential Iranian regime exploitation of religious charities.
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