News
Latest News
news bulletin
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Other News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Beirut
27
o
Bekaa
25
o
Keserwan
27
o
Metn
27
o
Mount Lebanon
23
o
North
28
o
South
25
o
Live
Video
Audio
Schedule
shows
العربية
watching now
Marhaba Dawle
SUBSCRIBE
Home
Notification
Live
Video
Audio
shows
Beirut
27
o
Bekaa
25
o
Keserwan
27
o
Metn
27
o
Mount Lebanon
23
o
North
28
o
South
25
o
News
Programs
The News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Programs
Series
Movies
Documentaries
Variety
Comedy
Talk Show
News Bulletin
Sports
Breaking News
Latest News
Highlighted News
Most Read
Videos
العربية
Watch the latest programs and the latest developments on your favorite screen
Shows
Join millions of followers
Who We Are
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Careers
Channel frequencies
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Biden to Israeli PM: US has options if Iran nuclear diplomacy fails-[REPORT]
Middle East
28-08-2021 | 08:58
High views
Share
Share
Biden to Israeli PM: US has options if Iran nuclear diplomacy fails-[REPORT]
Watch now
More details about online video viewing packages
6
min
Biden to Israeli PM: US has options if Iran nuclear diplomacy fails-[REPORT]
President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in White House talks on Friday that he was putting "diplomacy first" to try to rein in Iran's nuclear program but that if negotiations fail he would be prepared to turn to other unspecified options.
After a one-day delay due to a deadly suicide bombing in Kabul during the chaotic U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan, Biden and Bennett held their first meeting seeking to reset U.S.-Israeli relations and narrow differences over how to deal with Iran's nuclear advances.
Tensions complicated relations between Bennett's predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, who was close to former President Donald Trump, and the last Democratic administration led by Barack Obama, with Biden as his vice president.
But the meeting was eclipsed by Thursday's attack outside Kabul airport that killed at least 92 people, including 13 U.S. service members, confronting Biden with the worst crisis of his young presidency.
The mission there ... is dangerous and now it's come with a significant loss of American personnel, but it's a worthy mission," Biden told reporters after talks with Bennett.
U.S. forces helping to evacuate Afghans desperate to flee new Taliban rule were on alert for more attacks, and on Friday night they launched a drone strike against an Islamic State target in eastern Afghanistan.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, both leaders touched on Iran, one of the thorniest issues between them, but mostly they papered over their disagreements.
Biden said they discussed our commitment to ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon.
We're putting diplomacy first and we'll see where that takes us. But if diplomacy fails, we're ready to turn to other options, Biden added, without offering specifics. A White House statement issued later said the two also "reviewed steps to deter and contain Iran's dangerous regional behavior."
Bennett, a far-right politician who ended Netanyahu's 12-year run as prime minister in June, was expected to press Biden in private to harden his approach to Iran and back out of negotiations aimed at reviving an international nuclear deal with Tehran that Trump abandoned.
U.S.-Iran talks have stalled as Washington awaits the next move by Iran's new hard-line president.
"I was happy to hear your clear words that Iran will never be able to acquire a nuclear weapon," Bennett told Biden. "You emphasized that you'll try the diplomatic route but there's other options if that doesn't work out," he added, also stopping short of identifying the possibilities.
MOVING ON FROM NETANYAHU
Bennett has sought to move on from Netanyahu's combative public style and instead manage disagreements behind closed doors between Washington and its closest Middle East ally.
But he has been just as adamant as Netanyahu was in pledging to do whatever is necessary to prevent Iran, which Israel views as an existential threat, from building a nuclear weapon. Iran consistently denies it is seeking a bomb.
Bennett told reporters that Israel has developed a "comprehensive strategy" to keep Iran away from nuclear breakout and stop its "regional aggression."
Alluding to Israel's threats of military action and the billions of dollars in U.S. military aid it receives, Bennett said: "It's our responsibility to take care of our fate, but we do thank you for the tools you've been giving us."
The visit gave Biden an opportunity to demonstrate business as usual with a key partner while grappling with the aftermath of the Afghan attack. His handling of the wrapping-up of the U.S. military presence there after 20 years of war has not only hurt his approval ratings at home but also raised questions about his credibility among both friends and foes abroad.
On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Biden and Bennett remain far apart. Biden, according to the White House statement, reiterated support for a two-state solution, after Trump distanced himself from that longstanding tenet of U.S. policy. Bennett opposes Palestinian statehood.
Biden made only a brief reference to the issue in his remarks. But the White House said he "underscored the importance of steps to improve the lives of Palestinians."
Bennett did not mention the Palestinians in his remarks.
The consensus among Biden's aides is that now is not the time to push for a resumption of long-dormant peace talks or major Israeli concessions, which could destabilize Bennett's ideologically diverse coalition.
But Biden's aides say privately they hopes Bennett will make at least make modest gestures to help avoid a recurrence of the Israel-Hamas fighting in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.
Though the White House made no mention of Biden's opposition to further expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied land, it said he stressed "the importance of refraining from actions that could exacerbate tensions."
Bennett, 49, the son of American immigrants to Israel, has been a vocal proponent of settlements.
The leaders also discussed "new opportunities" to expand Israel's relations with the Arab world, the White House said, after normalization agreements reached under Trump with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
The delay in the meeting meant that Bennett, an Orthodox Jew who does not travel on the Sabbath, would remain in Washington until after sundown on Saturday.
REUTERS
To watch the full report, please click on the video above.
Breaking Headlines
News Bulletin Reports
Biden
US
Israel
Iran
Nuclear
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
0
News Bulletin Reports
2025-07-12
US backs $100M Super Tucano support for Lebanon in key show of military aid
News Bulletin Reports
2025-07-12
US backs $100M Super Tucano support for Lebanon in key show of military aid
0
Lebanon News
2025-06-24
Bank Audi and Neo Digital Bank introduce Google Pay services in Lebanon
Lebanon News
2025-06-24
Bank Audi and Neo Digital Bank introduce Google Pay services in Lebanon
0
Middle East News
2025-06-04
Turkish airline AJET to begin flights to Damascus in mid-June
Middle East News
2025-06-04
Turkish airline AJET to begin flights to Damascus in mid-June
0
Lebanon News
08:09
Lebanese Army helicopters return from firefighting mission in Syria's Latakia countryside
Lebanon News
08:09
Lebanese Army helicopters return from firefighting mission in Syria's Latakia countryside
Videos
d-none hideMe
0
Lebanon News
2025-07-01
Massive fire erupts at unregulated dumpsite in Bchannine, Zgharta district
Lebanon News
2025-07-01
Massive fire erupts at unregulated dumpsite in Bchannine, Zgharta district
0
Lebanon News
2025-06-10
Clash between Lebanese Army and residents of Deir Qanoun Al Nahr results in injuries (Video)
Lebanon News
2025-06-10
Clash between Lebanese Army and residents of Deir Qanoun Al Nahr results in injuries (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2025-06-04
Mexico dedicates garden around Lebanese Emigrant Statue in Beirut to mark 80 years of diplomatic ties
Lebanon News
2025-06-04
Mexico dedicates garden around Lebanese Emigrant Statue in Beirut to mark 80 years of diplomatic ties
0
Lebanon News
2025-05-19
President Aoun to seek Egyptian support for Lebanese Army in detecting explosives and tunnels
Lebanon News
2025-05-19
President Aoun to seek Egyptian support for Lebanese Army in detecting explosives and tunnels
0
Lebanon News
2025-05-15
LBCI Exclusive: US steps up pressure on Hezbollah, Morgan Ortagus details sanctions and vision for Lebanon's future
Lebanon News
2025-05-15
LBCI Exclusive: US steps up pressure on Hezbollah, Morgan Ortagus details sanctions and vision for Lebanon's future
0
Lebanon News
2025-05-11
Kuwait rolls out official welcome for Lebanon's President Aoun – video
Lebanon News
2025-05-11
Kuwait rolls out official welcome for Lebanon's President Aoun – video
0
Lebanon News
2025-05-11
Security incidents temporarily disrupt voting in several Akkar and Minieh-Danniyeh centers
Lebanon News
2025-05-11
Security incidents temporarily disrupt voting in several Akkar and Minieh-Danniyeh centers
0
News Bulletin Reports
2025-05-09
EU ambassador says 'we are not just donors, but genuine partners to Lebanon': Insights from exclusive LBCI interview
News Bulletin Reports
2025-05-09
EU ambassador says 'we are not just donors, but genuine partners to Lebanon': Insights from exclusive LBCI interview
0
Lebanon News
2025-04-23
US envoy Morgan Ortagus hails Lebanese diaspora, says country stands at a crossroads
Lebanon News
2025-04-23
US envoy Morgan Ortagus hails Lebanese diaspora, says country stands at a crossroads
Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
1
Lebanon News
07:17
Lebanese Army denies claims of militant infiltration and troop withdrawal in Bekaa
Lebanon News
07:17
Lebanese Army denies claims of militant infiltration and troop withdrawal in Bekaa
2
News Bulletin Reports
12:55
Syria considers closing its land border: What are the consequences for Lebanon?
News Bulletin Reports
12:55
Syria considers closing its land border: What are the consequences for Lebanon?
3
News Bulletin Reports
12:48
Talks advance in Azerbaijan: Israel and Syria prepare for next diplomatic step with draft deal in hand
News Bulletin Reports
12:48
Talks advance in Azerbaijan: Israel and Syria prepare for next diplomatic step with draft deal in hand
4
Middle East News
05:27
Netanyahu says working with Trump on Arab normalization
Middle East News
05:27
Netanyahu says working with Trump on Arab normalization
5
News Bulletin Reports
13:00
Maritime demarcation deal: Beirut prepares to host Cypriot delegation for maritime border talks
News Bulletin Reports
13:00
Maritime demarcation deal: Beirut prepares to host Cypriot delegation for maritime border talks
6
Lebanon News
09:29
MP Ibrahim Moussawi slams US envoy's remarks, calls for official response
Lebanon News
09:29
MP Ibrahim Moussawi slams US envoy's remarks, calls for official response
7
Lebanon News
08:09
Lebanese Army helicopters return from firefighting mission in Syria's Latakia countryside
Lebanon News
08:09
Lebanese Army helicopters return from firefighting mission in Syria's Latakia countryside
8
Lebanon News
10:19
Kuwaiti Interior Minister arrives in Lebanon to boost bilateral security cooperation
Lebanon News
10:19
Kuwaiti Interior Minister arrives in Lebanon to boost bilateral security cooperation
Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
We use
cookies
We use
cookies
to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More