Israeli Delegation Goes to Iran Nuclear Talks in Vienna

Israel will get to have its say at the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna, if only from the sidelines, according to media reports.

The foreign ministry sent a delegation to Vienna on Tuesday, headed by Joshua Zarka, the deputy director general for strategic Affairs at the Foreign Ministry.

The Israeli officials met with Mikhail Ulyanov, the Russian representative. Ulyanov tweeted that he sat with “Israeli colleagues from the capital and their Permanent Mission in Vienna” to discuss issues related to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“Thank you for a frank and important discussion,” Zarka tweeted in response.

The Israelis also expect to meet with U.S. officials taking part indirectly in the negotiations. Zarka met yesterday with Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the IAEA.

The tweet from the Iranian side was not so welcoming.

Iranian state media Nour News said that “the overt and unexpected presence of the Zionists in Vienna is undoubtedly a deterrent to progress in the current sensitive situation.”