Blinken, Netanyahu discuss countering Iran and support for Ukraine
Anthony Blinken and Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, January 30, 2023 (Photo:DEBBIE HILL/Pool via REUTERS)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Jan. 30, discussing a range of joint U.S.-Israeli efforts to oppose Iran’s nuclear ambitions, U.S. State Department said in a message on its website.
According to the communique, both the United States and Israel remain convinced that Tehran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
To that end, the officials discussed a range of measures to counter Iran’s destabilizing actions “in the region and beyond.”
“Just as Iran has long supported terrorists that attack Israelis and others, the regime is now providing drones that Russia is using to kill innocent Ukrainian civilians,” said Blinken.
“In turn, Russia is providing sophisticated weaponries to Iran. It’s a two-way street. Russia’s ongoing atrocities only underscore the importance of providing support for all of Ukraine’s needs – humanitarian, economic, and security – as it bravely defends its people and its very right to exist, a topic that we also discussed today.”
On Jan. 28, Iranian social media were awash with footage of explosions at several military facilities across the country. The Wall Street Journal subsequently reported that an ammunition factory in Isfahan was hit in an apparent attack. The site is near the Iranian Aerospace Research center, which, according to the United States, is involved in Tehran’s ballistic missile program.
AP later reported Israel was behind the attacks, although Israeli officials did not confirm this. Iran claims it as successfully repelled a drone attack at one of its military enterprises.
Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat said the explosions in Iran are a direct consequence of Tehran’s foreign policy, as it continues to supply Russia with weapons to use against Ukraine.
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