Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Gilad Erdan, told The Washington Post in an interview on Saturday that he does not anticipate a crisis with the new Biden administration over its desire to rejoin the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
“Not every disagreement should lead to a crisis,” said Erdan, who took over as ambassador to the US this past week and who also serves as Israel’s ambassador to the UN.
“Our bond with the United States of America and our shared values and interests are so deep and strong that sometimes we can agree to disagree,” he added.
“We’ll do everything to convince the administration of our views, because in Israel, unfortunately, we are the first to be threatened by the Iranian ayatollahs’ regime,” Erdan told the newspaper.
The ambassador said he has been seeking out Democrats since the election and the reception he has received has been positive.
“Clearly, they see Israel as a very strong ally. They keep saying again and again that they will consult with Israel on important issues, and that is what is important for us,” Erdan told The Washington Post. “To continue our strong relations and cooperation because we know that we share the same values and also strong interests.”
Former President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 agreement nearly three years ago, and proceeded to reimpose crippling sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Iran, in turn, has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal.
Biden has expressed a desire to return to the 2015 agreement, which was negotiated while he served as Vice President during the Obama administration. He recently told The New York Times that he would return to the 2015 agreement if Iran returned to compliance with it.
On Tuesday, Biden’s Secretary of State-designate Antony Blinken told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a confirmation hearing he would consult with US allies regarding the possibility of re-entering a nuclear deal with Iran.
Blinken also stressed that the US is “a long way” from returning to the deal.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday that Iran must resume compliance with the restrictions under the 2015 deal for the US to come to the table.