JERUSALEM: Israel鈥檚 army chief on Wednesday hailed 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� cooperation with the US, as he wrapped up a US visit focused on preventing Tehran from obtaining military nuclear capabilities.
Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi鈥檚 remarks came the same day as Iran said it had foiled a sabotage attack on an atomic energy agency building, as talks continue in Vienna between Tehran and world powers aimed at reviving their 2015 nuclear deal.
Israel staunchly opposes the deal, which it fears could enable its arch-nemesis to obtain nuclear weapons.
Kohavi鈥檚 visit, which began on Sunday, also came four weeks since Israel and Gaza鈥檚 Palestinian Islamist rulers Hamas agreed a cease-fire ending 11 days of heavy fighting.
At the US military鈥檚 Central Command in Florida, Kohavi met Centcom commander General Frank McKenzie, where he discussed the Gaza war, the Syrian arena and coordination between the countries.
鈥淭he IDF鈥檚 operational cooperation with the US military is unprecedented in its scope and has reached new heights,鈥� Kohavi said in a statement, using the acronym for Israel defense forces.
鈥淭he mutual and main goal of action for the two armies is thwarting Iranian aggression,鈥� he added.
鈥淚ran seeks to establish and entrench terrorists in many countries (and) continues to pose a regional threat in terms of nuclear proliferation, advanced weapons systems including ballistic missile capabilities, and the financing of terrorist armies,鈥� the Israeli general said.
Kohavi was also meeting with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on 鈥淚ran鈥檚 regional entrenchment throughout the Middle East and the flaws鈥� of the nuclear deal with Iran, a statement from the military said.
In meetings with Sullivan and CIA head William Burns, Kohavi was 鈥減resenting multiple ways to prevent Iran from acquiring military nuclear capabilities,鈥� the army said.
Kohavi was due to return to Israel on Friday.