Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar met on Monday at the Foreign Ministry with a delegation of US senators, led by Lindsey Graham and Dan Sullivan, and with the participation of Sheldon Whitestone, Richard Blumenthal, Joni Ernst, Adam Schiff, Andy Kim and the President's Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus.
During the meeting, Minister Sa'ar emphasized Israel's commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. According to Sa'ar, "there are worrying developments in the Iranian nuclear project, stemming from Iran's need to 'compensate' for weakening its regional power during the war, by obtaining nuclear weapons."
Minister Sa'ar also warned against Iran's increased efforts to smuggle money to Hezbollah in Lebanon, in order to restore its power and status in the country, saying "This is being done, among other efforts, through Turkey and with its cooperation. Restoration of Hezbollah will thwart Lebanon's chances for a new and better future, and the Lebanese army's ability to be the strongest military force in the country. For this reason it must be stopped."
Regarding the threat posed by the Houthis in Yemen, Sa'ar noted that this is a challenge to world order, global trade and freedom of navigation. "This is not only an Israeli problem; it is a regional and global problem. The Houthis are Jihadists. We must be careful about using the term 'deterrence' in their regard. We need a regional and international coalition to defeat them."
Minister Sa'ar was also asked about the possibility of a US withdrawal from Syria and replied that he believes that at the current time it would not be correct to do so, given the battle against ISIS and the new situation in Syria, including the attempts to impair Kurdish autonomy.