Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Wednesday night took off for an official visit to Washington, which will be followed by a stop in Japan.
In remarks before his departure, Gantz said, "The purpose of the visit is to convey a clear message regarding the negotiations between world powers and Iran on the nuclear agreement: An agreement that will not set Iran's capabilities back years and will not leave it limited for many years to come - it is an agreement that will harm global and regional security.”
During the visit, Gantz will conduct a series of meetings at the CENTCOM HQ in Florida. He will meet with CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla and will be briefed on the operational elements of defense cooperation.
On Friday, Gantz will meet with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Washington.
On Saturday night, Gantz will conduct an official visit to Japan.
The visit takes place as the US appears close to be returning to the nuclear deal with Iran.
Iran confirmed on Wednesday it had received a response from the United States to its proposals on a final European Union draft for the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal.
Last week, Iran sent its proposals over the final draft sent on August 8 by the EU, which has coordinated talks in Vienna on reviving the pact.
The proposal, submitted on July 26 by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, has been described by the EU as a “final draft” of the agreement.
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Monday expressed some optimism about the prospects of salvaging the Iran nuclear deal, but stressed that divisions remain between the United States and Iran.
A senior US official told Reuters that Iran has dropped some of its key demands to renew the nuclear agreement.
Israeli officials, meanwhile, warned the US against signing the agreement with Iran.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Wednesday afternoon held a briefing for foreign journalists in which he explained Israel's opposition to the proposed revised nuclear deal with Iran.
“Israel is not against any agreement. We are against this agreement, because it is a bad one. Because it cannot be accepted as it is written right now,” Lapid said. "Because it cannot be accepted as it is written right now. In our eyes, it does not meet the standards set by President Biden himself: preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear state."
He noted that the billions of dollars Iran would receive as part of the deal would go towards funding terrorism and destabilizing the Middle East. “On the table right now is a bad deal. It would give Iran a hundred billion dollars a year. This money will not build schools or hospitals. This is a hundred billion dollars a year that will be used to undermine stability in the Middle East and spread terror around the globe. This money will fund the Revolutionary Guards. It will fund the Basij who oppress the Iranian people. It will fund more attacks on American bases in the Middle East. It will be used to strengthen Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad.”