Katz, Mnuchin
Katz, MnuchinMatti Stern/US Embassy Jerusalem

Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz met today with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.

At the opening of the meeting, Minister Katz congratulated his guest on the successful operation to assassinate ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "This is a very important psychological and practical achievement in the war against one of the murderous terror organizations, and an important message to the free world - that in a determined war, terror can be beaten."

The two discussed the Iranian issue and Minister Katz thanked the Treasury Secretary for the policy of imposing sanctions on Iran. "This is the time to continue with maximum pressure on Iran. Continuing economic pressure on Iran is the only way to prevent military intervention," he said.

He asked the U.S. Treasurer to exert more political pressure to recognize Hezbollah as a terror organization and the United States to help Israel advance economic relations with the Arab Gulf states. "Due to Iran's threats and the alliance between the United States of America and the Sunni Gulf states, an historic opportunity mustn't be missed. The target should be signing cease-fire agreements during President Trump's current term."