ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid jointly pledged in a security declaration signed in Jerusalem on Thursday to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
In the declaration, the US vows to “never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon,” a phrase also repeated by Biden during the joint press conference that followed the signing. It added that Washington is “prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome.”
The document, titled “The Jerusalem US-Israel Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration,” sees Biden and Lapid also “reaffirm the unbreakable bonds between our two countries.”
“The only way to stop a nuclear Iran is if Iran knows the free world will use force,” Lapid said during the presser.
Meanwhile, Biden said he continues “to believe diplomacy is the best way to achieve this outcome,” referring to the prevention of Iran from achieving nuclear weapons.
Later on Thursday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned that “any mistake by the Americans and their allies in the region and the world will be met with a harsh and regrettable response,” Iranian state media cited him as saying during televised remarks.
The declaration comes during Biden’s first visit to the Middle East as president, and a day after an interview aired with him on Israel’s Channel 12 in which he said the US would use force to prevent Iran from acquiring an atomic bomb “if that was the last resort.”
In the text, the "United States reiterates its steadfast commitment to preserve and strengthen Israel's capability to deter its enemies and to defend itself by itself against any threat or combination of threats."
The declaration also addresses Israeli security concerns about Iranian support of groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, stating the US is committed to countering these threats.
The text also includes US commitment to Israel to continue military aid. A 10-year $38 billion aid package was implemented under former US President Barack Obama’s administration in 2016.
“There will be no nuclear Iran,” Lapid added while Biden repeated that “we will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.”
The declaration remains a largely symbolic declaration of US and Israeli opposition to Iran achieving nuclear weapons. Iran has repeatedly stated that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and has denied that it seeks to build a nuclear bomb.
Talks between Washington and Tehran to revive the 2015 nuclear talks formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) have been stalled for months, with both sides blaming each other for the lack of progress.
When asked about whether a deadline would be set for the nuclear negotiations, Biden said the US would not “wait forever” for Iran to agree to a deal.
Biden pledged to continue efforts towards expanding the Abraham Accords which saw the normalization of ties between Israel and several Arab states.
On Friday, Biden will be traveling from Israel to Saudi Arabia where he will be meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Biden is expected to continue efforts to achieve normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
In the Saudi city of Jeddah, Biden will also attend a summit attended by Gulf allies and Iraq.
