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world news Diabierna 15 Juli 2022

Biden, Lapid agree to stop Iran nuke program, differ on how

(AP) — U.S. President Joe Mr. President. Diplomacy deal and was still waiting for
Biden and Israeli Prime will not stop them,” Lapid a response.
Minister Yair Lapid stood said. “The only thing that
side-by-side Thursday and will stop Iran is knowing that Youtube video thumbnail
declared they would not if they continue to develop “When that will come, I’m
allow Iran to become a their nuclear program the not certain,” Biden said. “But
nuclear power. They part- free world will use force.” we’re not going to wait for-
ed ways, though, on how ever.”
to get there. Lapid suggested that he and
Biden were in agreement, Resurrecting the Iran nucle-
Biden, in a joint news con- despite his tougher rhetoric ar deal brokered by Barack
ference after a one-on-one toward Iran. Obama’s administration and
meeting with the Israeli abandoned by Donald Trump
leader, said he still wants to “I don’t think there’s a light in 2018 was a key priority for
give diplomacy a chance. between us,” he said. “We Biden as he entered office.
Moments earlier, Lapid in- cannot allow Iran to become But administration officials
sisted that words alone won’t nuclear.” have become increasingly
thwart Tehran’s nuclear am- pessimistic about the chances The one-on-one talks be- importance for Biden’s up-
bitions. Biden, too, said, “We will not, of getting Tehran back into tween Biden and Lapid coming meeting with Arab
let me say it again, we will not compliance. marked the centerpiece of a leaders in Saudi Arabia as he
While Biden suggested his allow Iran to acquire a nucle- 48-hour visit by Biden aimed seeks to strengthen a region-
patience with Iran was run- ar weapon.” Israeli officials have sought at strengthening already tight wide alliance against Iran.
ning low, he held out hope to use Biden’s first visit to relations between the U.S
that Iran can be persuaded to Iranian President Ebrahim the Middle East as president and Israel. The leaders issued The U.S. president, who is
rejoin a dormant deal intend- Raisi lashed out at the U.S. to underscore that Iran’s nu- a joint declaration emphasiz- set to arrive in Saudi Arabia
ed to prevent it from building and “its regional allies” for clear program has progressed ing military cooperation and on Friday, said he also stressed
a nuclear weapon. stoking instability in the re- too far and encourage the a commitment to keeping to Lapid the importance of
gion, state-run IRNA news Biden administration to scut- Iran from obtaining a nuclear Israel becoming “totally inte-
“I continue to believe that agency reported. tle efforts to revive the deal. weapon. grated” in the region.
diplomacy is the best way to
achieve this outcome,” Biden “Any mistake by the Ameri- Israel opposed the original In the joint statement, the Israel during the Trump ad-
said on the second day of a cans and their allies in the nuclear deal because its limi- United States said it is ready ministration signed on to the
four-day visit to Israel and region and the world will be tations on Iran’s nuclear en- to use “all elements of its Abraham Accords, declara-
Saudi Arabia. It’s his first trip met with a harsh and regret- richment would expire and national power” to prevent tions of diplomatic and eco-
to the Middle East as presi- table response,” Raisi said. the agreement didn’t address Iran from obtaining a nuclear nomic normalization signed
dent. Iran’s ballistic missile pro- bomb. by Israel, Bahrain, Morocco
Biden warned that his pa- gram or military activities in and the United Arab Emir-
Biden’s emphasis on a dip- tience is wearing thin for Iran the region. Iran announced last week ates that were signature for-
lomatic solution contrasted to rejoin the nuclear deal, a that it has enriched uranium eign policy achievement for
with Lapid, who said Iran day after saying he’d be will- Instead of the U.S. reentering to 60% purity, a technical step the Republican president.
must face a real threat of force ing to use force against Teh- the deal, Israel would prefer away from weapons-grade For Israel to come to such an
before it will agree to give up ran as a last resort. The presi- strict sanctions in hopes of quality. agreement with the Saudis,
on its nuclear ambitions. dent said the U.S. had laid leading to a more sweeping an economic and Islamic epi-
out for the Iranian leadership accord. The joint declaration could center in the Mideast, would
“Words will not stop them, a path to return to the nuclear hold important symbolic be even more significant.

Protesters retreat as Sri Lankan president sends resignation

(AP) — Protesters retreated from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled a solution to the country’s many woes president’s office to celebrate. Doz-
government buildings Thursday day earlier under pressure from pro- seemed no closer following Raja- ens of people danced and cheered
in Sri Lanka, restoring a tenuous testers enraged by the island nation’s paksa’s departure. And the president and waved the Sri Lankan flag, and
calm to the economically crip- economic collapse. He emailed his has further angered the crowds by two men sang in Sinhalese on a small
pled country, and the embattled resignation a day later than promised, making his prime minister the acting stage.
president at last emailed the res- according to an official. leader.
ignation that demonstrators have The mood was festive, with people
sought for months. But with a fractured opposition and Protesters have pressed for both men hooting and swaying to music while
confusion over who is in charge, a to leave and for a unity government others chanted into a microphone
to address the economic calamity that that they wanted better governance.
has triggered widespread shortages of
food, fuel and other necessities. “To be validated like this is massive,”
said Viraga Perera, an engineer who
The tentative way the resignation un- has been protesting since April. “On a
folded only added to turmoil. An aide global scale, we have led a movement
to the speaker of the Sri Lankan Par- that toppled a president with minimal
liament issued a statement that said force and violence. It’s a mix of vic-
the speaker had received the presi- tory and relief.”
dent’s resignation through the Sri
Lankan Embassy in Singapore, but The protesters accuse Rajapaksa and
there was no immediate official an- his powerful political family of si-
nouncement. phoning money from government
coffers for years and his administra-
An announcement was planned for tion of hastening the country’s col-
Friday after the authenticity and le- lapse by mismanaging the economy.
gality of the letter is verified, the The family has denied the corruption
statement said. allegations, but Rajapaksa acknowl-
edged that some of his policies con-
As word of the resignation spread, tributed to the meltdown.
jubilant crowds gathered near the