Israel could accept US-Iran nuclear 'understanding', senior lawmaker says

Israel could find acceptable an understanding between its arch-foe Iran and the United States if it includes rigorous supervision of Tehran’s nuclear programme, a senior lawmaker said in comments aired on Saturday, reports Reuters.

According to Iranian and Western officials, Israel’s main ally Washington is holding talks with Iran to sketch out steps that could include limiting the Iranian nuclear programme.

These steps would be cast as an “understanding” rather than an agreement requiring review by the US Congress, such as the 2015 accord abandoned in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump.

“It’s not a wide-scope agreement, it’s more like a small agreement, a memorandum of understanding, an M.O.U., and I think Israel can live with this if there is real supervision,” Yuli Edelstein, head of the Israeli parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, told Channel 12‘s Meet the Press.

READ: US official denies any talks with Iran on an interim nuclear deal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined comment on whether fellow Likud party member Edelstein’s remarks reflected the views of the premier.

On Tuesday, before briefing the foreign affairs and defence committee, Netanyahu said in televised remarks: “Our position is clear. No agreement with Iran would obligate Israel, which will do everything required to defend itself.

“Our opposition to the deal – a return to the original (2015) deal – is working, I think.”

“But there are still differences in outlook, and we do not hide these, regarding smaller agreements too. We have been stating our position clearly, both in closed and open sessions,” Netanyahu said.