US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday he had spoken with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
“Great speaking with Israeli Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid today. A strong U.S.-Israel bilateral relationship is important in the face of common challenges, including the risks of further Russian aggression against Ukraine and threats posed by Iran,” he tweeted.
The conversation between Blinken and Lapid was reported hours after a senior State Department official told reporters that indirect talks between the United States and Iran on returning to the 2015 nuclear agreement are entering the "final stretch".
The official added that all sides will have to make “tough political decisions”.
Last week, the US and Israel held strategic talks on Iran led by their respective national security advisers.
Officials said the secure video conference included discussions of the state of play in Vienna and the strategy moving forward.
Earlier on Monday, Blinken also spoke with Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said after the conversation that the two “discussed the importance of strengthening the US relationship with the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people, as well as the need to improve quality of life for Palestinians in tangible ways.”
“They also discussed the challenges facing the Palestinian Authority and the need for reform. Secretary Blinken reiterated that Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve to live safely and securely, and enjoy equal measures of security, freedom, and prosperity, and reaffirmed the US administration’s commitment to a two-state solution,” added Price.