At the IISS Menama Strategic Conference in Bahrain today (Sunday) a dispute arose between the positions of the United States and Israel, regarding dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue. At the conference, which deals with defense and foreign policy in the region, President Biden’s senior adviser said the Trump administration’s pressure campaign against Iran had failed, and that the current administration “did not live in the illusion” that more pressure would change Iranian behavior. To this, Security Adviser Eyal Hulta replied that Iran “will not agree to the concessions only because we will ask them nicely.”
Hulta explained his position, saying that “anyone who claims that pressure does not work should look at previous rounds of pressure on Iran by two US governments. They helped Iran change policy. We think Iran will not change policy unless we force it. Israel has said several times that it will defend. “About herself if we need to. We will make the preparations to do so.”
Biden’s adviser Brett McGrack said: “We are approaching the resumption of talks with Iran in Vienna. We hope that diplomacy will succeed – if it fails we will use other means. We will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. Military force will not change Iranian behavior but it can block its nuclear program “.
At the beginning of the conference, Hulta said that the Middle East and the world are at a critical point in relation to Iran. “It is time to send a united message to Iran – we will never allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.” This is the first time that Hulta, who has served for twenty years in positions at the institution, has spoken publicly since taking office. “It should be recognized that Iran is pulling time and trying to get more nuclear concessions unless we stand firm against it,” he said, “if Iran acquires the region’s nuclear weapons as we know it will no longer exist. There will be a nuclear arms race.”
McGrack told the panel that if Iran put the United States to the test, the United States would also defend itself by military force. “But we will not be dragged into exchanging blows with Iran and its envoys. If we respond, we will do so decisively,” he said.
He said the Biden administration was very concerned about the progress of Iran’s nuclear program since the Trump administration withdrew from the nuclear deal. “We want a diplomatic solution, but we will be willing to look at other options if diplomacy fails,” he said.
In answer to the Walla! On the lack of response to the Iranian attack on the US base in Syria, McGrack said that “we are not talking about everything we do. Not every response will be in CNN or will be reflected in something exploding somewhere. But it is not accurate to say we are doing nothing. “It should also be remembered that when the previous administration killed Qassem Suleimani, it resulted in American casualties and the attacks on us in Iraq continued. The message we have now conveyed to the Iranians clearly is that we are ready to respond decisively.”
IISS Menama Strategic Conference in Bahrain (Photo: Barak Ravid, Walla!)Former Saudi intelligence chief Prince al-Faisal addressed National Security Adviser Eyal Hulta at a conference in Bahrain and asked “Israel is firing missiles under the heading of Palestinian liberation – why not go to the Arab peace initiative and remove this excuse? Is there an Israeli commitment to a two state solution? Why not “To dismantle Israel’s nuclear weapons and thus help prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons?”
Hulta responded that Israel’s role in the region is to stabilize it and not to undermine it. “I thought that as long as there was no solution to the Palestinian issue there would be no stability in the region,” he said. “Saudi Arabia, was it because of Israel and the Palestinians?”
“The Israeli government is committed to stability and improving the lives of Palestinians,” Hulta added. “We are working with the Palestinian Authority and will continue to do so and we hope that in the future there can be political progress with the Palestinians.
Speaking at a conference in Bahrain, Hulta said he was “not a politician, but I represent the Israeli government. The Israeli government is the most diverse ever. We have Muslim ministers in the government, and there is almost gender equality in the government. It makes me optimistic. It makes the people of Israel optimistic. “.
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