Biden tells Israeli PM he’ll try diplomacy first with Iran

By AAMER MADHANI
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that diplomacy was his first option, but that he would consider other options if his effort to revive the Iran nuclear deal fails. Biden made the comments Friday as the two sat down for the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Bennett was sworn-in as prime minister in June. Biden told Bennett he was “putting diplomacy first” in his attempt to nudge Iran back to a nuclear pact. But Biden promised that “if diplomacy fails, we’re ready to turn to other options.” Bennett said talks about Iran were the top priority for his first White House visit as prime minister.