The U.S. and Israel have agreed to reestablish a policy forum regarding Iran's nuclear program, online news publication Axios reported on Wednesday.
According to Axios, the first round of talks, will focus on intelligence surrounding Iran's atomic capabilities and will likely commence in the coming days.
The publication further added that the forum will be headed by the U.S. and Israeli national security advisers — currently Jake Sullivan and Meir Ben-Shabbat.
Both countries will also have various security establishment figures along with members of foreign policy and intelligence agencies present at the talks.
Policy experts have highlighted the dramatic differences between Israel and the U.S. over Tehran's nuclear policy, but the renewal of the policy forum could be a signal that Jerusalem and Washington are ready to approach the problem professionally.
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Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi
(Photo: Reuters)
Iran this week began limiting the International Atomic Energy Agency's access to sites and other information regarding its nuclear program in response to the U.S. refusal so far to lift sanctions imposed by former president Donald Trump.
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi railed against Iran for this highly controversial move, calling it a "threat" that may require a future response."
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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visits one of the country's nuclear sites
(Photo: AFP)
"Israel sees this step as a threat and it must not go by without a response. We will never allow Iran to control the capability to acquire a nuclear weapon," Ashkenazi said in a statement.
Israel's government was vehemently opposed to the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated between Tehran and world powers, from which the U.S. withdrew in 2018 under former President Trump.
Republished with permission from i24NEWS