Obama, Kerry freeze out Bibi over impromptu Hill visit

WASHINGTON — New US sanctions on Iran would potentially act as a “grenade” that could lead to the collapse of the current negotiations between Iran and the six world powers for a nuclear deal that Israel considers weak, the head of Israel’s intelligence service said in an unusual statement Jan. 22.

The rare public statement by Mossad chief Tamir Pardo was released by the Israeli prime minister’s office Jan. 22. This comes amid a new eruption of high-level tensions between Washington and Jerusalem over a potential Iran nuclear deal, and what Washington sees as Israel’s heavy-handed efforts to lobby Congress to pass new sanctions that the Obama administration believes would undermine prospects for reaching a diplomatic resolution.