US, Israel pledge to work together to ensure any new Iran nuclear deal safeguards regional security

US defence chief Lloyd Austin is in Israel and told his counterpart Benny Gantz that the two countries had an ‘ironclad’ bond

Austin will also meet PM Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit, with discussions including US arms supplies to Israel

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US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is on a visit to Israel, the first by a senior Biden administration official. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:39pm, 11 Apr 2021Updated: 12:00am, 12 Apr 2021

Israel will work with Washington to ensure any “new agreement” on Iran’s nuclear programme will safeguard regional security, Defence Minister Benny Gantz told his US counterpart Lloyd Austin on Sunday.

The comments came as Austin made the first high-level US trip to Israel since talks resumed on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear accord, which the Jewish state fiercely opposed.

Gantz said “we will work closely with our American allies to ensure that any new agreement with Iran will secure the vital interests of the world and the United States, prevent a dangerous arms race in our region and protect the State of Israel”.

Austin, the highest-level envoy from President Joe Biden’s administration yet to visit ally Israel, said Washington would work with Israel “to advance shared security interest and priorities”.

Stressing America’s “ironclad” bond with Israel, Austin said the US will “continue close consultations to ensure Israel’s qualitative military edge and to strengthen Israel’s security”.

Austin’s visit came just days after the US said it had offered “very serious” ideas on reviving the hobbled nuclear agreement reached between Tehran and world powers, which was abandoned by former president Donald Trump in 2018.