The Israeli premier has called on Washington to refrain from signing a nuclear agreement with Iran while the country’s defense minister is set to travel to the US to meet senior American officials. 

Defense Minister Benny Gantz will depart for an official visit to the US and Japan on Thursday August 25, his office said on Tuesday, adding that in the US, Gantz will hold a series of meetings at CENTCOM headquarters in Florida and meet with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Washington, DC. Israel's National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata is also in Washington. 

Also on Tuesday, Naftali Bennett urged President Joe Biden to refrain “even now at this last minute” from reviving the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA). “This agreement will send approximately a quarter of a trillion dollars to the Iranian terror administration's pocket and to its regional proxies, and will enable Iran to develop, install and operate centrifuges, with almost no restrictions, in a mere two years,” he tweeted.

Expressing hope to dissuade the US from restoring the nuclear accord with the Islamic Republic, he said, “Throughout the past year, even when it was very close, we successfully convinced our White House counterparts not to give in to Iranian demands.”

Reiterating Israel’s opposition to the deal with Iran, Bennett noted, “Israel is not committed to any of the restrictions stemming from the agreement and will utilize all available tools to prevent the Iranian nuclear program from advancing.”

There have been clear signs in recent days that EU proposals of August 8 are closing lingering Washington-Tehran gaps over reviving the deal.