Israeli prime minister heads to Washington to talk Iran

JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel’s new prime minister set out for Washington on his first state visit overseas since taking office. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett departed Tuesday for a two-day trip to Washington to meet with President Joe Biden and discuss regional rival Iran.

In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office before taking off, Bennett said the top priority in his conversation with Biden would be Iran, “especially the leapfrogging in the past two to three years in the Iranian nuclear program.” He said other issues would be discussed, including the Israeli military’s qualitative edge, the coronavirus pandemic and economic matters.