US, Israeli officials discuss ways to prevent Iran from going nuclear

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has held discussions with top Israeli officials on global and regional issues, including coordination to ''prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and ways to counter threats from Iran and its proxies.''

Sullivan hosted his Israeli counterpart Tzachi Hanegbi and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer at the White House on Thursday.

He reaffirmed the Biden administration's goal of further enhancing Israel’s security and economic integration throughout the Middle East, the White House said in a statement.

Sullivan also stressed the need to take additional steps to improve the lives of Palestinians, said the statement.

They also discussed Russia's ''deepening'' military relationship with Iran and the importance of supporting Ukraine in defence of its territory and citizenry, including from Iranian drones, it added.

The meeting is a follow-up on a US-Israel Strategic Consultative Group that was held in March.

Iran's capability of making nuclear bombs

Earlier on Thursday, a former head of Israel's military intelligence claimed that Iran possesses a quantity of uranium capable of making three to five nuclear bombs.

Speaking to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Amos Yadlin said that the recent report of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] did not reveal anything new, adding that it is known for Israel that Iran is capable of making nuclear bombs.

On May 24, Israel's army chief of staff also said Iran has made unprecedented progress in its uranium enrichment program.

"Iran has made more progress in the field of uranium enrichment than ever before. We are closely examining additional domains that lead to nuclear capability," said Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi at the Herzliya Conference.

Israel has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to build a nuclear bomb, a claim denied by Tehran, which says its programme is designed for peaceful purposes.

Former US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew Washington from the landmark agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate by taking steps away from its nuclear-related commitments.

It has since gone on to surpass limits on the amount of uranium it is allowed to possess, as well as the levels to which it is allowed to enrich the nuclear material.