Earlier today, President Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid in Jerusalem, where the pair discussed Iran’s nuclear program and the war in Ukraine. The U.S. and Israel are expected to announce a joint declaration building on past calls to take military action to halt Iran’s nuclear program. Biden has promised he won’t agree to any deal that would restore the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear agreement — from which the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018 — if it means removing Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps from a list of foreign terrorist organizations. Biden was asked about that pledge in a recorded interview with Israeli TV that aired Wednesday.
Yonit Levi: “Are you committed to keep the IRGC on the foreign terrorist organization list, even if that means that kills the deal?”
President Joe Biden: “Yes”
Yonit Levi: “You, in the past, said you’ll do anything, and you say it again, that you’ll ensure Iran would not acquire nuclear weapons. Does that also mean, sir, that you would use force against Iran? Is that what that means?”
President Joe Biden: “If that was the last resort, yes.”