The Diplomat
The Spanish Foreign Ministry insisted yesterday that it “categorically” denied that in the conversation held on Thursday between its head, José Manuel Albares, and his Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, it was agreed to form “a united front in the fight to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons”.
A spokesman for the department responded to a press release issued by the Israeli foreign ministry, which also indicated that the two ministers pledged to “strengthen security cooperation between the two countries, including through the advancement of a 300 million euro defence agreement”.
The spokesman acknowledged that the Iranian issue was present in the talks but, despite questions from The Diplomat, did not explain on what terms the dialogue had taken place. The information on the meeting provided by the Foreign Ministry on Thursday was limited to a brief message on Minister Albares’ Twitter account, in which, alongside a photograph with Cohen, he said: “We have addressed our bilateral relations and the situation in the region. I have conveyed Spain’s commitment to peace and stability in the region and to the two-state solution”.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Israeli Embassy in Madrid yesterday, in a conversation with The Diplomat, clarified the content of the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s note, indicating that, in the meeting with Albares, Cohen presented his vision of the ‘Iranian threat’ in two aspects: Tehran’s support for Moscow in the war in Ukraine and the nuclear threat.
On the latter point, the spokesperson recalled that Israel and many European countries share the view that a nuclear Iran is a situation that Europe and the world cannot accept. She added that Cohen stressed to Albares “the importance of promoting concrete action on the matter”.
She also indicated that Cohen offered Spain Israeli assistance and expertise in dealing with security challenges. She also said that bilateral cooperation in matters of health, the environment and sustainability was also discussed.
Likewise, according to the spokeswoman, Cohen thanked the Spanish government for its efforts in the fight against anti-Semitism, and expressed Israel’s desire to live in peace with all its Arab neighbours, including the Palestinians, and that other agreements could be reached along the lines of those signed, after the Abraham Agreement of September 2020, with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and Oman.
