During the summit, the US sought to reassure Iran’s neighbours in the Middle East that it would protect it by preventing Iran from building new weapons through a new nuclear deal.
Speaking at a rare summit in Israel on Sunday, Mr Blinken sought to reassure its allies who want the deal to be dropped and for the West to take punitive action on Iran building its nuclear capabilities rather than negotiating with them.
On the back of last year’s Abraham Accords – which saw several Gulf states normalise relations with Israel in US-brokered agreements – Sunday’s meeting represented the largest number of top diplomats from Arab countries to have ever been on Israeli soil.
“When it comes to the most important element, we see eye-to-eye,” Mr Blinken said at a press conference with Mr Lapid. “We are both committed, both determined that Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon.
“There is no daylight between us on the fundamental proposition that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon,” Mr Blinken said, adding that regardless of whether a new nuclear deal is reached, the US will maintain that stance.
“Deal or no deal, we will continue to work together and with other partners to counter Iran’s destabilising behaviour in the region.”
Nuclear weapons fears
In addition to fears Iran could use nuclear weapons to seek the destruction of Israel, the country and its Gulf allies also fear that any relief in sanctions on Iran could allow them to expand their military footprint in the region and step up financial support of its proxy forces.
“We’re concerned about the intention to delist [Iran’s revolutionary guards]… their proxy the Houthis just this weekend carried out a horrific attack on Saudi Arabia,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a separate press conference with Mr Blinken before the summit began on Sunday evening.
The nuclear deal is expected to be at the top of the agenda at the summit, which will be attended by officials from Bahrain, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, as well as the US and Israel.
