US Senator Graham in Israel: Time to develop ‘guardrails’ around Iran’s nuke program
US lawmaker visits Jerusalem for meetings on Iranian nuclear program, as Washington’s negotiations with Iran continue in Vienna
Visiting Israel on Monday, US Senator Lindsey Graham told journalists that he and Israeli leaders discussed the ongoing international negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, and that he raised possible avenues for additional security cooperation between the US and Israel.
Graham was in Israel to hold a series of meetings on Iran and bilateral cooperation between Israel and the United States.
Neither the US nor Israel is a direct party to the nuclear negotiations, which are intended to restart the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, The US pulled out of the plan in 2018, under former president Donald Trump.
On Monday morning, Graham met with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and was to meet former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli representatives also provided Graham with a technical briefing on current Iranian capabilities, and he was briefed by Mossad officials.
Scott Applewhite / AP)
Visiting Israel on Monday, US Senator Lindsey Graham told journalists that he and Israeli leaders discussed the ongoing international negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, and that he raised possible avenues for additional security cooperation between the US and Israel.
Graham was in Israel to hold a series of meetings on Iran and bilateral cooperation between Israel and the United States.
Neither the US nor Israel is a direct party to the nuclear negotiations, which are intended to restart the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, The US pulled out of the plan in 2018, under former president Donald Trump.
On Monday morning, Graham met with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and was to meet former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli representatives also provided Graham with a technical briefing on current Iranian capabilities, and he was briefed by Mossad officials.
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“I mentioned the idea of formalizing a mutual defense agreement, in very limited circumstances that would involve existential threats to the Jewish state,” Graham said.
Although the possibility of a mutual defense agreement was discussed between Netanyahu and Trump, Gantz opposed the idea when it was raised in 2019.
Such an idea, if it progresses, could be a departure from current Israeli security policy, which focuses on self-reliance.
“Israel is jealous, and rightly so, of [its] ability to conduct operations independent of a foreign power. And I would never suggest that any defense agreement would restrict Israel’s ability to act on their own,” Graham said.
“What I’m trying to say is that I want a clear message to be sent in the 21st century, that destruction of the Jewish state means war with the United States.”
Regarding the potential nuclear agreement, Graham said he and Israeli officials discussed the idea of placing “guardrails” around Iranian nuclear ambitions.
“That’s what’s missing when it comes to the Iranian nuclear program,” he said.
According to Graham, parameters need to be set to create “red lines” around three guardrail factors, which are Iranian enrichment stockpile, weaponization of that stockpile, and ability to delivery that weapon.
Should negotiations bear fruit in Vienna, open questions remain about the legal scope and durability of an agreement. Graham, whose Republican Party holds half of the Senate’s 100 seats, shared his assessment that a nuclear agreement would not garner the two-thirds of votes necessary for ratification as a treaty, to make it binding law.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-senator-graham-in-israel-time-to-develop-guardrails-around-irans-nuke-program/
Lindsay looking for protection? Probably chugging lots of Israeli dick for help