Germany’s foreign minister said Thursday that nuclear talks in Vienna aimed at bringing Iran back into the 2015 nuclear deal are entering the “final phase”, prompting Israel’s premier to warn against the restoration of the original nuclear agreement.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock met with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid at a press conference in Tel Aviv Thursday, announcing that talks in Vienna have progressed to the “final phase”, and a “very critical point”.
Baerbock expressed optimism that a deal could be reached with Iran, and that restoration of the 2015 nuclear agreement would “make the region more secure, including Israel.”
“Otherwise, we would not be having these talks.”
“We want to do everything we can to ensure that with this agreement, Israel’s security is guaranteed.”
Lapid told reporters at the press conference that he warned Baerbock that a nuclear-armed Iran would threaten “not only Israel, but the entire world,” and slammed Tehran as an “exporter of terror” across the globe, urging Germany to take Iran’s terror-promoting activities into account during nuclear talks.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also met with Baerbock in Tel Aviv Thursday, urging Germany and other countries involved in talks at Vienna to set a clear deadline for Iran to commit to adhering to the limits imposed on its nuclear program.
Bennett also warned against restoring the 2015 nuclear deal without significant modifications, calling such a move a 'mistake that would endanger' the Middle East.
"The two discussed at length the security and regional challenges, especially the Iranian nuclear issue," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. "The Prime Minister presented the Israeli position, according to which signing a nuclear agreement with Iran would be a mistake that would endanger the entire region. He also emphasized that a target date must be set for the conclusion of the negotiations since their extension, even as the enrichment of uranium continues, only serves Iranian interests."