Israel's Netanyahu, U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo meet to talk Iran

FILE PHOTO - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrive for a news conference at the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv, Israel, April 29, 2018. Thomas Coex/Pool via Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Brussels on Monday to discuss Iran and other regional issues. Pompeo, like Netanyahu, is an outspoken critic of Iran's nuclear program and he condemned on Saturday the latest missile test by the Islamic republic. "I look forward to discussing with you how we can together curb Iran's aggression in the region, in Syria, in Iraq, in Lebanon and elsewhere and to continue our efforts to achieve peace and security for everyone," Netanyahu said at the start of the meeting, according to a statement from his office. Netanyahu often uses meetings with international officials to push his agenda of halting what he describes as Iran's nuclear ambitions. Israel also sees Tehran's moves to set up bases in neighboring Syria as a regional threat, along with the heavily armed Iran-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. The meeting was arranged last week, his office said. (Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Paul Tait and Peter Graff)