Biden, at a joint news conference after a one-on-one meeting with the Israeli leader, said he still wanted to give diplomacy a shot. Moments earlier, Lapid insisted that words alone will not reverse Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. While Biden argued that his patience with Iran had run out, he expressed hope that Iran can be persuaded to rejoin a stalled deal intended to prevent it from building nuclear weapons. “I continue to believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve this outcome,” Biden said on the second day of a four-day visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia. He also stressed on his first trip to the Middle East as president the importance of promoting ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Hours before Biden is set to become the first US leader to fly directly from Israel to the kingdom, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation announced early Friday “the decision to open the Kingdom’s airspace to all air carriers that meet the Authority’s requirements for overflights”. It marked the end of its long-standing ban on Israeli aircraft flying over its territory — a gradual step toward normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel that builds on the strong but unofficial ties the former foes have developed in recent years over shared concerns about Iran. growing influence in the region. “President Biden welcomes and commends the historic decision by the Saudi leadership to open Saudi airspace to all civil carriers without discrimination, a decision that includes flights to and from Israel,” said US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in a statement early Friday. Biden’s emphasis on a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear program contrasted with Lapid, who said Iran must face a real threat of violence before agreeing to give up its nuclear ambitions. “Words will not stop them, Mr. President. Diplomacy will not stop them,” Lapid said. “The only thing that will stop Iran is knowing that if it continues to develop its nuclear program, the free world will use force.” Lapid suggested he and Biden were on the same page, despite his tougher rhetoric toward Iran. “I don’t think there’s any light between us,” he said. “We cannot allow Iran to go nuclear.” Biden also said: “I won’t say it again, we will not allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon.” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi criticized the US and its “regional allies” for causing instability in the region, state news agency IRNA reported. “Any mistake by the Americans and their allies in the region and the world will be met with a harsh and regrettable response,” Raisi said. Biden warned that his patience has run out to get Iran back into the nuclear deal, a day after he said he would be willing to use force against Tehran as a last resort. The president said the US had given the Iranian leadership a path to return to the nuclear deal and was still waiting for a response. “When that will come, I’m not sure,” Biden said. “But we won’t wait forever.” Reviving the Iran nuclear deal brokered by the Obama administration and abandoned by Donald Trump in 2018 was a key priority for Biden as he took office. But administration officials have grown increasingly pessimistic about the chances of Tehran returning to compliance. Israeli officials sought to use Biden’s first visit to the Middle East as president to underscore that Iran’s nuclear program has gone too far and encourage the Biden administration to halt efforts to revive the deal. Israel opposed the original nuclear deal because its restrictions on Iran’s nuclear enrichment would expire and the deal did not address Iran’s ballistic missile program or military activities in the region. Instead of the US rejoining the deal, Israel would prefer tough sanctions in the hope of leading to a more sweeping deal. The one-on-one talks between Biden and Lapid were the focus of Biden’s 48-hour visit aimed at strengthening already close ties between the US and Israel. The leaders issued a joint statement emphasizing military cooperation and a commitment to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. In their joint statement, the United States said it was ready to use “all elements of its national power” to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. Iran announced last week that it has enriched uranium to 60 percent purity, a technical step away from weapons grade. The joint statement could have significant symbolic significance for Biden’s upcoming meeting with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia as he seeks to strengthen a regional alliance against Iran. The US president, who is due to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Friday, said he also stressed to Lapid the importance of Israel being “fully integrated” in the region. Israel during the Trump administration signed the Abraham Accords, diplomatic and economic normalization declarations signed by Israel, Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, which were the Republican president’s foreign policy achievement. For Israel to come to such an agreement with the Saudis, an economic and Islamic powerhouse in the Middle East, would be even more important. Lapid asked Biden to deliver a message on Israel’s behalf to the Arab leaders he will meet with in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: “Our hand is outstretched for peace.” “Your visit to Saudi Arabia is important for Israel and for the region,” Lapid added. “For our security and for the future prosperity of the Middle East.” The president will visit Saudi Arabia after calling the kingdom a “pariah” nation as a presidential candidate and releasing a US intelligence finding last year that showed the kingdom’s de facto leader, Mohammed bin Salman, likely approved the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi. .US based writer. Biden refused to commit to reporting Khashoggi’s killing when he met with the crown prince. “I always bring up human rights,” Biden said at the news conference. “But my position on Khashoggi was so clear. If someone doesn’t get it, in Saudi Arabia or anywhere else, then they haven’t for a while.” He did not repeat his position. Thursday’s appearances with Lapid could boost the Israeli prime minister, who is serving in an interim capacity until November’s election, the fifth in less than four years. His main rival is former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Lapid’s joint appearance with Biden could help improve his credentials as a politician and leader. Biden briefly met behind closed doors with Netanyahu, with whom he had a rocky relationship. Biden did not mention the upcoming Israeli election during the public portion of Thursday’s meeting with Lapid, but told reporters “we had a good start to a long relationship, God willing.” Biden and Lapid also participated in a virtual summit with India and the United Arab Emirates, a collection of countries called the I2U2. The United Arab Emirates has announced that it will help finance a $2 billion project to support agriculture in India. The president was also awarded Israel’s highest political honor, the Presidential Medal of Honor, by President Isaac Herzog. Biden ended his day with a stop at Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium to greet American athletes competing in the Maccabiah Games. Also known as the “Jewish Olympics”, it is the country’s largest sporting event and is held every four years for Israeli and Jewish athletes from around the world.
Megerian reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Amir Vahdat in Tehran and Darlene Superville and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.
