After President Obama’s failed attempt to engage in talks with Iran last year, the United States and Israel have begun to work more closely to combat Iran’s nuclear program. Although both countries have agreed that tough sanctions are necessary, Israel and the United States have different views on how to accomplish the task.
Israel favors strong sanctions against Iran’s energy sector, a move that will hit the Iranian economy the hardest. The United States favors an internationally supported United Nations resolution that includes the support of China and Russia, likely making sanctions lighter than the Israeli proposal. The Obama administration also fears that sanctions against Iran’s energy sector may be detrimental to ordinary Iranian citizens and the Iranian opposition movement. Despite these talks, Israel has not ruled out a possible strike against Iran and is preparing for the worst, even distributing gas masks to their citizens.
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