Bennett speaks strongly against Iran but applies no pressure - analysis

• Author: YONAH JEREMY BOB
• Published date: 27 September 2021
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

If former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu saw himself as a force that could manipulate US policy on Iran, Bennett has a more humble understanding of Jerusalem's role.

He will seek to influence policy in Washington with firm facts and provide all the intelligence Israel can to convince the Biden administration to slap the Islamic Republic with a new round of pressure.

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But he will not – at least at this stage – draw a new line in the sand or give an ultimatum with a deadline.

That is a significant difference.

As this article goes to press, Tehran continues to enrich uranium at the 60% level, only one level down from weaponization, and continues to openly thwart IAEA inspectors even from checking all of their own cameras.

This is not Iran reneging on the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, but on an agreement it just reached with the IAEA in mid-September.

Bennett spoke in dark tones and mentioned that Israel would not wait for others to act.

But there was not anything really new.

Netanyahu's government and now Bennett's government have repeated the same phrases now for months.

In some ways, the phrases and attempt to get media attention has gotten louder, but Bennett did not even get to the issue of Iran until midway through his speech.

Multiple top ministers have said they are ready to give the US negotiations a chance and Biden has made it clear he is in no rush...