Iran tops Biden’s talks on Mideast trip: Israel

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said Sunday Iran will be the focus of US President Joe Biden’s talks during his Middle East tour.

The visit "will focus first and foremost on the issue of Iran," Lapid said during a Cabinet meeting.

“Israel, for its part, reserves full freedom of action — political and operational — in the fight against the Iranian nuclear program,” he added.

Biden is scheduled to arrive in Israel on July 13 as part of a tour that will also include the West Bank city of Ramallah and Saudi Arabia.

Israel opposes Western efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement with Israel, from which Washington withdrew in 2018. In response, Tehran ramped up its uranium enrichment process from 3.65% stipulated in the deal to 60%.

Negotiations seeking to restore the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in Vienna have been deadlocked since last year.