US envoy Steve Witkoff held talks in Jerusalem on Tuesday with prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Israeli military and security chiefs. They outlined Israel’s red lines in advance of expected talks on Friday between Witkoff, fellow envoy Jared Kushner and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, aimed at reaching a compromise to avoid war.
Israel wants any deal with Iran to include ceasing the enrichment of uranium, the removal of enriched uranium from the country, limits on ballistic missile production and an end to support for proxy militias in the region, according to an Israeli source. Israel has also made it clear that any deal with Iran will help to stabilise Ayatollah Khomeini’s regime.
While most of the focus in advance of the US-Iran summit has been on Iran’s nuclear programme, an agreement that halts nuclear enrichment and removes the enriched stockpile is not enough for Netanyahu. He wants US president Donald Trump to force Iran to stop the production of ballistic missiles and end support for proxies, such as Hizbullah in Lebanon and Houthis in Yemen.
Iran wants Friday’s talks to be limited to the nuclear programme and has ruled out discussing other issues. It also wants the venue changed from Istanbul to Oman and for discussions to be limited to US and Iranian officials.
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Israel has always maintained that only a credible military threat will force significant concessions from Tehran. It is co-ordinating closely with Washington in advance of possible military action.
Israel is bracing for an Iranian attack, including the possibility of a pre-emptive strike and the simultaneous launch of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones towards Israel.
During the 12-day war in June, Iran launched more than 500 ballistic missiles and about 1,100 drones at Israel. The attacks killed 32 people and wounded more than 3,000 in Israel. The Iranian government said more than 1,000 people were killed during the conflict.
Netanyahu addressed the possibility of war in a speech to the Knesset parliament on Monday, saying Israel was ready for every scenario. “Whoever attacks us will face unbearable consequences,” he warned.
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Israel’s top general, chief of staff Eyal Zamir, who held talks in Washington over the weekend with senior Pentagon officials, predicted earlier this week that a US attack is likely to begin within a few weeks.
Israel targeted Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes during the 12-day war with Iran in June and has significantly degraded several of the proxy militias funded and armed by Tehran.
The results of a survey released on Tuesday showed that 50 per cent of Israelis favour participation in a war only in the event that Israel is attacked by Iran. The poll, carried out by the Israel Democracy Institute, found that 44 per cent of Israelis support direct military involvement co-ordinated with the US from the outset.
