Meet Israeli Officials, US National Security Adviser Discuss Prevention Of Iran Possessing Nuclear Weapons

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. (Wikimedia Commons/The White House)

JAKARTA - The United States and its partners are discussing a time frame for nuclear diplomacy with Iran, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Wednesday, adding current talks with Tehran may end in a few weeks.

"We don't circle the date on the calendar in public, but I can tell you, behind closed doors we talk about a time frame and it's not long," he told reporters during a visit to Israel.

Although reluctant to elaborate, asked to elaborate on a timeline, Sullivan said: "Sunday."

Israel has long hinted that its current diplomacy and focus on talks between Iran and world powers in Vienna, Austria to revive the 2015 Nuclear Deal, is deadlocked, with Tel Aviv able to use a deterrent strike against its arch-foe.

But there are doubts among security experts whether Israel has the military capability to effectively halt Iran's own program, or whether Washington will support its move.

Jake Sullivan said the United States continues to believe the option of diplomacy, deterrence and pressure remains the best way to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Additionally, Sullivan said during his meeting with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem, "we discussed ways to ensure we unite the international community, to maintain pressure on Iran to fulfill its obligations and to return to compliance with the 2015 pact."

"And in operational terms, I think it's best left for private diplomatic discussions between the United States and Israel," Sullivan said.

Earlier, Sullivan told Prime Minister Naftali Bennett the United States and Israel were at a "tipping point" to form a common security strategy.

Separately, in public remarks after his talks with Sullivan, Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz called on world powers not to let Iran play games in nuclear negotiations, in a recess at Iran's request and expected to resume next week.

Meanwhile, Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, saying it only wants to acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

To note, Washington has spearheaded efforts to revive the 2015 deal, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Israel fiercely opposed the deal and former US President Donald Trump withdrew the United States in 2018.

Sullivan, sent by President Joe Biden on a 30-hour visit to Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian territories, briefed Israel on developments in the Vienna talks and the two sides exchanged views on the way forward, the White House said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said he and Sullivan discussed "strategies to combat Iran's nuclear program and how the US and Israel work together on this issue."

Since Trump withdrew from the agreement, Iran has violated the pact with progress in sensitive areas such as uranium enrichment. Sullivan called the US withdrawal a "catastrophe".