Bahrain’s crown prince spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday about returning to nuclear talks with Iran, the Bahraini state news agency said, as the U.S. administration sought to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, also the country’s prime minister, stressed to Netanyahu “the importance of the involvement of regional countries in any talks on Iran’s nuclear file” to support “security and stability in the region,” ”According to the official Bahrain News Agency.
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Bahraini FM Abdullatif al-Zayani and PM Benjamin Netanyahu at the signing of the Treaty of Abraham at the White House, September. 2020
(Photo: AFP)
The statement marks the first response from Gulf Arab leader to President Joe Biden’s announcement earlier this month that he was seeking a return to nuclear talks with Iran.
Nearly three years ago, former President Donald Trump backed the landmark deal and lifted tough sanctions on Iran.
His withdrawal was welcomed by the Gulf countries and Israel, Iran’s enemies in the region most at risk and strongly opposed to the treaty.
The sheikhdoms in the Gulf of Persia, along with Israel, have been banned from the last nuclear talks and remain highly skeptical of Iran’s intentions.
They have indicated that they would not be open to a treaty if it included restrictions on Iran’s non-nuclear activity, including missile development and support for rebel groups and militias in the Middle East.
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Then-US President Donald Trump announces withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal, May 2018
(Photo: AFP)
Trump’s main reason for withdrawing from the nuclear deal was that he did not address these issues.
In Thursday’s proclamation, Bahraini’s crown prince urged any nuclear talks with Iran to “take into account broader issues,” without further explanation.
The reading from Israel made no mention of Washington’s arrival to Tehran. He only said that the crown prince reiterated his invitation to Netanyahu to visit Bahrain once the pandemic allowed and the kingdom was interested in investing with countries another in a vaccine production factory that was supposed to be located in Israel.
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Magen paramedic David Adom prepares to deliver coronavirus vaccine in Beit Shemesh town center
(Photo: AFP)
After the United Arab Emirates, the kingdom of the Bahrain Islands entered into normal relations with Israel last fall, an agreement that was created out of envy for Iran.
According to Netanyahu’s office, the two discussed the potential role of the Gulf state in developing the vaccine plant.
The two directors also discussed Netanyahu’s possible trip to Bahrain once coronavirus restrictions were imposed on him, the prime minister’s office said.
“The Bahraini governor also stated that he was interested in examining Bahrain’s potential to engage in investment in a vaccine manufacturing plant that is planned to be established in Israel along with other countries,” the statement said.