Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived for his first visit in Jerusalem amid nuclear talks in Vienna and growing tensions between Israel and Iran.
Why it matters: Austin met his counterpart Benny Gantz and will meet later with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss Iran and regional security issues.
- In recent weeks there have been a number of attacks between Israel and Iran in the Red Sea and the Gulf.
- Netanyahu has said Israel will not be bound by any new nuclear deal.
What they are saying: In press statements after the meeting, Gantz said Israel will work with the Biden administration to make sure any future nuclear deal preserves the interests of the world, prevent a nuclear arms race and protect Israel.
- Austin didn’t mention Iran in his statement and stressed the Biden administration’s commitment to Israel’s security.
- Meanwhile, Iran announced an "accident" occurred at its uranium enrichment facility in Natanz that the head of Iran's atomic energy organization said "was an act of terrorism."
