British Foreign Minister in ’Israel’ to Discuss Iran Deal

Local Editor

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was in the Zionist entity Thursday for talks on this week's nuclear agreement with Iran, a day after charging it would have opposed any deal with its arch-foe.

Hammond was due to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described the nuclear deal as a "stunning, historic mistake".

But Hammond told the British parliament ahead of his visit that there was no agreement that the powers could have struck with Iran that would have been acceptable to Tel Aviv.

"The question you have to ask yourself is what kind of a deal would have been welcomed in Tel Aviv," Hammond said on Wednesday.

"The answer of course is that "Israel" doesn't want any deal with Iran. "Israel" wants a permanent state of standoff and I don't believe that's in the interests of the region. I don't believe it's in our interest."

After Hammond, US War Secretary Ashton Carter is due in Israel next week. "Israeli" opposition leader Isaac Herzog is also due to visit the United States soon, in part to push for security guarantees.

Herzog said he planned "to demand that "Israel" receive a full-fledged security and military umbrella that will keep its qualitative and military edge in order to be able to challenge the risks entailed in this agreement."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team