WarSclerotic

Israel urges world powers to stay tough on Iran amid Iraq crisis, Israel Hayom, Daniel Pipes, June 19, 2014

Israel is concerned by U.S. willingness to work with Iran in beating back Sunni Muslim insurgents in Iraq • Minister Uzi Landau: The threat Iran and Hezbollah pose to stability of Israel and other moderate players in region must not be forgotten.

A volunteer in the newly formed Peace Brigades participates in a parade in the holy Shiite city of Najaf in southern Iraq, Wednesday | Photo credit: AP

Israel is calling on world powers not to ease their pressure on Iran to curb its disputed nuclear program should Iran cooperate with the West in beating back the Sunni Muslim insurgencies that have spiraled from Syria into Iraq.

A lightning advance since last week has seen Sunni fighters rout the army of Iraq’s Shiite-led government and seize the main cities across the north, prompting Iran, the Middle East’s main Shiite power, to state that it is prepared to intervene to defend Shiite holy sites in Iraq.

While echoing global jitters at the Iraqi bloodshed, Israelis are alarmed by America’s willingness to cooperate with Iran in securing Iraq.

A senior U.S. official said on Monday the United States may discuss the security crisis in Iraq with Iran on the sidelines of this week’s nuclear talks in Vienna.

In the Knesset on Wednesday, Tourism Minister Uzi Landau (Yisrael Beytenu) said, “We are working to prevent a situation in which, in light of the increasing danger of global jihad elements, Iran and its allies are portrayed as blocking the spread of such elements in the area.

Israel is concerned about a growing “arc” of Iranian influence from Iraq to Syria, where Iran backs embattled President Bashar Assad, on to Lebanon, where it has a powerful proxy in the Hezbollah terrorist organization.

“The threat Iran and Hezbollah pose to stability, to Israel’s security and to other moderate players in the region must not be forgotten, so it is a two-fold battle,” Landau said.

Israel would “intensify contact with the international and regional powers” on the matter, Landau said.

Iran is negotiating with world powers about rolling back its nuclear program in exchange for an easing of their sanctions.

However, those talks look unlikely to bring an accord by the July 20 deadline, given enduring disputes over the scale of uranium enrichment and other projects Iran would be allowed to retain.

International Relations, Intelligence and Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz, who liaises with the United States and European powers about the nuclear diplomacy with Iran, said they had assured him they would hold their course in the negotiations, regardless of any Iranian cooperation in Iraq.

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