Israel Expected to Push Hard-line Stance on Iran in Talks With US

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is expected to urge his American counterpart to take a hard-line stance on Iran in the first meeting between the two leaders Thursday. 

Bennett, elected to office two months ago, is making his first visit to Washington this week. Before he left Israel, he reiterated that he would push President Joe Biden on his stance on Iran.  "I will tell President Biden that it is time to stop the Iranians ... not to give them a lifeline in the form of reentering into an expired nuclear deal," Bennett said Sunday.  The 2015 agreement lifted sanctions on Iran in return for Tehran strictly observing limits on its nuclear program. Biden has offered to rejoin the deal if Iran returns to full compliance with its nuclear provisions. But negotiations in Vienna, Austria, two months ago stalled without much resolution.