Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid speaks during a news conference as he meets with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat, Morocco August 11, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal

i24 News – Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid was quoted as saying that the Jewish state would rather the United States and other powers walk away from nuclear talks with Iran than reach a “bad deal.”

Published Thursday by The New York Times, Lapid said that the best-case outcome of the Vienna talks was what he referred to as a “good deal” with Iran.

It appeared that the foreign minister gave rare backing to negotiations on reviving the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) pact that Jerusalem usually dismisses as an Iranian delaying tactic, The Times of Israel reported.

“We have no problem with a deal. A good deal is a good thing,” Lapid said, adding that the best alternative outcome would be “no deal but tightening the sanctions and making sure Iran cannot go forward” with their nuclear activity.

“And the third and worst is a bad deal.”

Lapid did not elaborate on what a good or bad deal would constitute.

Talks to revive the JCPOA deal are set to resume Monday, the European Union diplomat chairing the negotiations announced Thursday, urging importance to “pick up the pace.”

Senior United States officials recently indicated that time is running out for a deal to be agreed upon, with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan assuring during his visit to Israel that a deadline for reaching a compromise will be set “in a few weeks.”

Negotiations to restore the JCPOA – which offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program – restarted in November after a five-month hiatus.