US, Israel sign joint pledge to deny Iran nuclear weaponry

JERUSALEM, July 14 Reuters  - US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed a joint pledge on Thursday to deny Iran nuclear arms, a show of unity by allies long divided over diplomacy with Tehran.
“We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon,” Biden told a news conference following the signing of the declaration. 

Washington and Israel have separately made veiled statements about possible pre-emptive war with Iran - which denies seeking nuclear arms - for years. However, whether they have the capabilities or will to deliver on this has been subject to debate.

Israel’s Lapid cast the posture as a way of averting open conflict.
“The only way to stop a nuclear Iran is if Iran knows the free world will use force,” he said after the signing ceremony.

There was no immediate comment from Tehran. 

In 2015, Iran signed an international deal capping its nuclear projects with bomb-making potential. In 2018, then-US President Donald Trump quit the pact, deeming it insufficient, a withdrawal welcomed by Israel.