U.S. Reassures Israel That The U.S. Is Ready To Take A Harder Line On Iran If Necessary

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Israeli PM Bennett  

Axios: Four senior Israeli officials who attended meetings in Jerusalem with national security adviser Jake Sullivan tell Axios they came away reassured that the U.S. is ready to take a harder line on Iran if necessary and to take Israel’s views into account.  

The big picture: Sullivan sketched out three possible near-term scenarios on Iran’s nuclear program in the meetings, two officials say: 

 1) An agreement within the next several weeks to return to full compliance with the 2015 deal, which he was skeptical would be achieved. 

 2) A “freeze for freeze” interim agreement to stop Iran from further accelerating its program. 

 3) No deal and new sanctions and pressure on Iran.  

The backstory: As the nuclear talks resumed in Vienna, anxiety was growing in the Prime Minister’s Office over the idea that the Biden administration would seek a partial agreement that would provide Iran with sanctions relief without any nuclear rollback. 

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WNU Editor: The Iran nuclear talks will be resuming on December 27 .... Iran nuclear talks to restart after 'disappointing' pause (CNN).