Israeli PM warns against returning to nuclear deal with Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned world powers on Sunday not to return to the nuclear deal with Tehran, citing the election of judiciary chief Ebrahim Raeisi as Iran’s new president.

"Raeisi's election is, I would say, the last chance for world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement, and understand who they are doing business with," Bennett said in a televised speech during his first cabinet session since assuming the Israel's premiership last week.

Raeisi, Iran's judiciary chief, garnered 17.92 million votes in Friday's election, defeating his three rivals in a landslide victory.

In 2018, former US President Donald Trump illegally withdrew Washington from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, reimposing tough sanctions against Iran that has directly affected Iranian lives.

In a related development, Israeli Army Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi flew to Washington on Saturday on a six-day official visit and is expected to hold talks with US officials on the US intention to return to the nuclear deal with Iran, the official Israeli channel, KAN, reported.

KAN said a "window of opportunity" exists for Israel to influence the course of matters before the new Iranian president’s inauguration takes place.