Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Thursday spoke with his American counterpart, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, discussing Iran’s activities in the Middle East and other “regional security concerns,” Gantz’s office said.
It was his first such conversation with Esper since entering his position last month.
“The two discussed both governments’ efforts to address the novel coronavirus and the need to deter adversaries that may seek to exploit global attention to the pandemic,” Gantz’s office said in a statement.
“They reviewed shared interests on regional security concerns, with an emphasis on the necessity to halt the Iranian threat, as well as opportunities to build a more stable and prosperous Middle East,” it added.
Former defense minister Naftali Bennett (left) and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2020. (US Department of Defense)
Earlier this year, Naftali Bennett, who was the defense minister at the time, said he and Esper had agreed that Israel would focus on confronting Iranian military activities in Syria while the United States would confront the Islamic Republic’s efforts in Iraq.