CIA director to meet with Israeli, Palestinian leaders: report

CIA Director William Burns is reportedly set to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders this week during a trip to the Middle East.

Axios reported on Monday that Burns will visit Israel on Tuesday to engage in talks that will likely center on Iran, according to Israeli officials.

He will reportedly meet with David Barnea, the director of the Mossad intelligence agency, and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, in addition to other senior defense and intelligence personnel.

He is also reportedly scheduled to meet with Palestinian Authority officials during a stop in Ramallah, including intelligence chief Majed Faraj.

Israeli officials told Axios that the conversations will concentrate on Iran’s nuclear program and regional activity. Israel is also reportedly hoping to learn more about U.S. policy toward the new Iranian government and the potential to reenter the 2015 nuclear deal.

When reached by The Hill, the CIA said it does not comment on the director’s schedule.

The trip comes as Iran is facing fallout from its attack on an Israeli-owned shipping vessel last week that killed two of its international crew members.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations and the European Union issued a joint statement on Friday that denounced Iran for carrying out a “deliberate and targeted attack” on the ship.

The U.S. has worked to bring Iran back into the nuclear deal, engaging with the country in six rounds of direct talks that have all been unsuccessful.

Iran has refused to agree to a seventh round of indirect talks in Vienna.