U.S. and Israeli officials held talks about Iran and other regional issues.

Top U.S. and Israeli national security officials met Thursday by secure video conference for their first round of talks on Iran and other regional issues as the Biden administration looks to avoid antagonizing Israel while attempting to resurrect the U.s.-iran nuclear deal.

The first virtual U.s.-israel Strategic Consultative Group meeting led by national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben-shabbat, comes as President

Joe Biden’s national security team has stepped up efforts to engage the Israelis about his Iran efforts.

Sullivan has also held at least two calls with Ben-shabbat before Thursday’s meeting.

National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said in a statement that “the two sides shared perspectives on regional security issues of mutual interest and concern, including Iran, and expressed their common determination to confront the challenges and threats facing the region.”

There was no Israeli comment on Thursday’s talks.

The talks came after Secretary of State Antony Blinken in his first appearance before Congress stressed that Biden is committed to consulting Israel and other Gulf nations “regarding anything that we might do going forward on that agreement” with Iran.

“We need to be engaged with them since it affects them on the takeoff, not on the landing,” Blinken told members of House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. “And we’re committed to doing that.”