A number of new generation Iranian centrifuges are seen on display during Iran’s National Nuclear Energy Day in Tehran, Iran April 10, 2021. Iranian Presidency Office/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

i24 News — Israel has allocated $1.5 billion to bolster its capabilities to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, Israel’s Channel 12 reported Monday.

The funds — over $900 million in this year’s budget and about $600 million in next year’s budget — will go toward aircraft, intelligence gathering and dedicated armament that can enable the attack.

The intelligence gathering could include satellites, according to the report.

While Israel is planning for a possible military attack on the Iranian nuclear program, world powers are working to bring the Islamic Republic back to the negotiating table in Vienna in an attempt to restart talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear accord.

The talks have been stalled since June when hardliner Ebrahim Raisi was elected president, but in recent days there have been conflicting reports that the negotiations could resume soon, possibly next week.

It was reported in Iranian media on Sunday that a meeting was to take place in Brussels on Thursday to discuss resuming the Vienna talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian had reportedly confirmed the Brussels meeting.

However, the European Union on Monday denied that a meeting had been scheduled for Thursday, contradicting Tehran.

EU Spokeswoman Nabila Massrali told AFP on Monday that “there will not be a meeting Thursday,” adding that “at this stage we cannot confirm if or when a meeting will take place.”