Pentagon chief Austin to discuss Iran's 'malign' behavior with Israeli defense minister

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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with his Israeli counterpart Benny Gantz on Thursday to discuss both restocking the Iron Dome and security issues posed by Iran.

Gantz will also be meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Gantz’s office announced, and meetings will include talks about the U.S. potentially rejoining the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as well as how to maintain Israel’s military superiority in the region. 

"Among the things they will talk about are regional security issues," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said. "Iran and its malign behavior in the region will certainly come up."

Gantz is expected to request $1 billion to restock Israel’s Iron Dome defense system after it was depleted from an 11-day war with Hamas in Gaza. President Biden, bucking opposition from progressive members of his party, pledged to help Israel replenish the system as well as to work with the Palestinian Authority to rebuild Gaza. He also approved a $735 million arms sale to Israel. 

Gantz has taken a softer tone with the U.S. than has Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu has said he would be willing to risk "friction" with the U.S. if it reentered the 2015 agreement. 

NETANYAHU SLAMS IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL POSSIBILITY

"If we have to choose – I hope it doesn’t happen – between friction with our great friend the United States and eliminating the existential threat – eliminating the existential threat" wins, Netanyahu said at Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony for new Mossad chief David Barnea. 

But in a video following Netanyahu's veiled threat, Gantz praised the Biden administration as true friends of Israel and called out "defiant rhetoric." 

"The United States was and will continue to be Israel’s most important ally in maintaining its security and security superiority in the region… Israel has and will have no better partner than the U.S. Even if there are disagreements, they will be solved behind closed doors and not with defiant rhetoric that could harm Israel’s security," he said.

"Iran is a threat to regional stability and world peace. It is a country that instigates terrorism and is advancing a nuclear program that is dangerous to the state of Israel," Gantz continued. "Still, Israel is the strongest country in the region."

IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL: HIGH-LEVEL TALKS RESUME 

The U.S. has been participating in talks in Vienna, Austria, to reinstate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which relieves Iran of sanctions in exchange for perceived curbs on nuclear activity, a campaign promise of Biden's.

The U.S. pulled out of the landmark 2015 deal in 2018 after Donald Trump said the pact needed to be renegotiated. 

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Iran reacted by steadily increasing its violations of the deal. Both Iran and U.S. have asserted that the other must make the first move. 

Biden says Iran needs to return to compliance before the U.S. will return to the deal, and Iran has said it is prepared to reverse all of its violations, but Washington must remove all sanctions imposed under Trump.