Washington: The US was putting diplomacy as the first option to try and rein in Iran's nuclear programme, president Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet during White House talks. Biden added that if negotiations fail, the US will resort to other unspecified options, Reuters reported.
Biden told reporters that he and Bennett discussed the threat from Iran and their commitment to ensuring Iran never develops a nuclear weapon.
Biden and Bennett met after a day's delay due to the bombings in Kabul airport as the chaotic evacuation process was going on there. This was the first meeting between the duo, seeking to reset their countries relations and differences over dealing with Iran's nuclear developments.
A far-right politician, Bennett was expected to pressure Biden in his approach to Iran. Also, he was expected to press the US to back out from any negotiations with Iran to revive an international nuclear deal, which the Trump administration has abandoned.
He told Biden that he is happy to hear Biden saying Iran never acquire a nuclear weapon. Like Netanyahu, former Israel president, Bennet is adamant about preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon, though Iran consistently denies that it is seeking one.
Bennett told reporters that the US and Israel together built a comprehensive strategy to keep Iran from nuclear breakout and stop it from regional aggression.
Currently, the US-Iran negotiations are delayed as Washington awaits Iran's new president, Hassan Rouhani's next move.