Biden-Bennett meeting: President says there are ‘other measures’ if Iran diplomacy fails

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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said that the United States would have “other measures” to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons if diplomacy fails, after his first meeting with Prime Minister Naftali Bennet since both leader assumed office.

The meeting, which has been slated for Thursday, was rescheduled after a suicide bomber in Kabul that claimed the lives of at least 92 people including 13 U.S. troops.

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Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, Biden said he discussed with Bennett “the threat from Iran and our commitment to ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon.”

“Iran is the world’s number one exporter of terror, instability and human rights violations … and we’re going to stop them, we both agreed,” Bennett said alongside Biden.

“I was happy to hear your clear words, that Iran will never acquire nuclear weapons,” Bennett told Biden. “We will try the diplomatic route, but there are other options if that doesn’t work out.”

“We’re putting diplomacy first, and we’ll see where that takes us. But if diplomacy fails, we’re ready to turn to other options,” Biden added

Bennett stressed that Israel is not asking – nor will it ever ask – that American soldiers defend it.

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“We will never outsource our security,” Bennett added. “It’s our responsibility to take care of our fate.”

“These very days illustrated what the world would look like if a radical Islamic regime acquired a nuclear weapon, that marriage would be a nuclear nightmare for the entire world,” Bennett said in reference to the deadly Kabul attack.

Addressing the Palestinian issue, the U.S. president said that “We’ll discuss ways to promote peace and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians.”

Bennett and Biden, who are slated to later hold a full-fledged work meeting with their aides, also addressed the coronavirus pandemic.

“The third COVID shot is safe and working,” Bennett said, referring to the COVID booster shot that has been administered to almost 2 million Israelis. Biden said that Americans will start receiving the booster shot next month.