Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy & Water Dr. Yuval Steinitz met with US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz in Washington over the weekend. Steinitz calls on the US to extend the June 30th deadline for signing a nuclear agreement with Iran.

Bloomberg News quotes Steinitz saying “It is better to extend than accept something half-baked”, calling on US officials not to sign on the current version of the agreement which Israel feels will permit Iran to continue efforts to build a nuclear bomb.

While the White House and US State Department feel the agreement is a good one, Israel continues to warn the Western community that Iran remains determined to develop efficient centrifuges as negotiations continue as Tehran does wish to build a nuclear bomb. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu continues to defy US President Barak Obama, calling on the latter to refrain from entering into the current “bad” agreement with the Iranians.

Dr. Steinitz told the US officials the agreement must contain a provision permitting quick access for UN inspectors to Iranian facilities, explaining without this provision, the current agreement is of no value.

The officials also spoke of energy cooperation and Israel’s natural gas resources.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)