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Hezbollah — Israel Yale -Prime Minister Rapid said on Tuesday that he would put pressure on French President Emmanuel Macron on Iran's nuclear negotiations and urge Tehran-backed Hezbollah to take a stricter position in Lebanon.
Rapid's first visit to France abroad since taking office as caretaker's prime minister last week bends diplomatic sources as Israelis prepare for a sharp election in November. It's also an opportunity.
France is one of the world's largest powers trying to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which the former U.S. government resigned and Israel opposed because it considered its caps to be inadequate. is.
"It's important to hear us at this point about this dangerous deal," Rapid said before boarding the plane to Paris, where he would meet Macron. Told the reporters.
Rapid's senior aide said Israel is opposed to returning to the JCPOA 2015 nuclear deal, but may accept a stricter deal.
"We do not oppose the deal. We want a very strong deal," said the aide. "We want to put an end to endless negotiations," he added, calling for "coordinated pressure" on Iran and providing support for "drafting an appropriate framework."
Since the US strike, Iran itself has violated the agreement and is strengthening projects with potential bomb production, but denies such a design. Its technological advances have set a clock that keeps track of the futile negotiations so far.
Israel is not a party to the nuclear negotiations. But if diplomacy is considered a dead end, concerns about its great enemies and obscured threats of preemptive military action keep the Western capital careful. There is a de facto front line with Iran in Lebanon, home of Hezbollah.
As a former colonial administrator in Lebanon, France has additional influence over Beirut. Leaders who were hit by the economic crisis were uncomfortable on Saturday when Israel shot down three Hezbollah drones fired at one of the Mediterranean gas rigs.
"The Lebanese government must curb such attacks by Hezbollah, or we will be forced to do so," Rapid said. His aide said Hezbollah was "playing with fire."
Kalish rigs near the coast of Lebanon will produce gas not only in Israel but eventually in the European Union, officials said, taking Russia as an energy supplier since the invasion of Ukraine. It takes advantage of the EU countries' quest to replace them.
(written by Dan Williams, edited by David Gregorio and Ed Osmond)
