Benjamin Netanyahu: ‘Netanyahu had no advance warning’: Donald Trump cancels Iran attack plan, Israeli PM caught off guard
israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu The United States was reportedly “blindsided” after President Donald Trump abruptly canceled plans for an attack on Iran and announced a diplomatic deal with Tehran could be signed within days.According to Axios, Netanyahu There was no advance notice before Trump publicly revealed that he had canceled further military action and claimed that Iran’s leadership had approved the draft framework agreement.According to the report, “Netanyahu had no advance warning and was caught off guard when Trump made his initial statements about the agreement.”The unexpected announcement marked another twist in the increasingly complex relationship between the two leaders and highlighted growing differences over how to deal with Iran.The development comes as Washington continues to push for a negotiated solution, while Israel believes military pressure is still needed to prevent Iran from strengthening its regional position.Trump announced on Thursday that he was canceling planned attacks against Iran after receiving signs that Tehran was willing to move forward with a draft deal.“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been presented to and approved by Iran’s highest leadership, as President of the United States of America, I am canceling tonight’s scheduled attacks and bombings against Iran,” Trump wrote on The Truth Society.The proposed framework reportedly includes extending the ceasefire, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching a new round of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.Trump later addressed supporters and went even further, declaring that the United States was effectively “over the war with Iran” and insisting that Tehran had agreed never to develop or purchase nuclear weapons.The news appeared to take Israeli officials by surprise.Netanyahu received no advance warning before Trump issued his statement. According to Axios, people familiar with the matter said the Israeli leader only learned of the incident after Trump made it public.While Israel later welcomed assurances that any final deal would address Iran’s nuclear program, the lack of prior consultations underscored the tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv.“President Trump spoke tonight with Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the upcoming memorandum of understanding with Iran to enter negotiations,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office wrote in a post on X.The post added: “While Israel is not a party to the MOU, the Prime Minister applauds President Trump’s commitment that a final agreement at the conclusion of negotiations will include removal of enriched material, dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production, and an end to Iran’s support for its terrorist proxies in the region.”Netanyahu has been deeply skeptical of diplomatic efforts with Iran for months.Israeli officials have repeatedly argued that Tehran is using the negotiations to buy time while continuing to boost its military capabilities and support regional proxy groups.According to CNN and Axios reports, Netanyahu urged Trump to maintain military pressure and continue to strike Iranian targets as planned rather than suspend diplomatic actions.
What do you think of the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu after this incident?
In a recent phone conversation between the two leaders, Netanyahu reportedly argued that delaying military action was a mistake and warned Iran of “dragging its feet” in diplomacy.Israel’s position is that only sustained pressure can force Tehran to make meaningful concessions.
Relationships showing signs of tension
While Trump and Netanyahu often describe each other as close allies, recent months have seen a series of disagreements.The most public controversy has arisen over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.Trump is frustrated that Israeli attacks on Hezbollah complicate broader diplomatic efforts involving Iran and Gulf states. The US president reportedly used unusually strong language during a phone call with Netanyahu, accusing him of sabotaging negotiations.Trump later acknowledged the conversation was heated, saying he was “troubled” by Israel’s continued military action.“I’m a little disturbed by his ongoing conflict with Lebanon,” Trump said. However, the US president also emphasized that his relationship with Netanyahu remains strong. “We work very well together. I like Bibi very much. I work very well with him,” Trump added.Netanyahu, however, tried to downplay the differences.In an interview with CNBC, he described the tensions as tactical differences rather than fundamental differences.“Sometimes we disagree on tactics. But we always find a solution,” Netanyahu said.He stressed that the two leaders remained committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Trump increasingly emphasizes control
Recent negotiations with Iran have also exposed the growing imbalance in the relationship between the two countries.Trump has repeatedly made clear that Washington, not Tel Aviv, will determine the course of negotiations with Tehran.In an interview with the Financial Times earlier this week, Trump dismissed suggestions that Netanyahu might block the US-Iran deal.“He doesn’t have any choice. I call the shots. He doesn’t give the orders,” Trump said.ALSO READ | ‘I’m calling the shots’: Trump insists Iran deal is on track amid new crackdown, says Netanyahu has ‘no choice’The comments were one of the clearest signs yet that the White House intends to pursue its foreign policy strategy despite Israel’s objections.While successive U.S. administrations have often coordinated closely with Israel on Iran policy, Trump has increasingly portrayed himself as the ultimate decision-maker.
Iran remains cautious
Iran has yet to fully accept Trump’s optimistic assessment, adding further uncertainty.Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said reports of a final deal were “mere speculation” and stressed that Tehran had not yet made a final decision, state news agency IRNA reported.He added that Qatar and Pakistan “actively act as mediators” but noted that “US actions are affecting the diplomatic process”.“From the outset we were clear about the status of the negotiations and a large part of the text had been finalized. However, Americans kept changing their stance. “Baghahi was quoted as saying by Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency and quoted by CNN.He stressed that Iran has “proven that it will not compromise on its defined red lines” and confirmed that “so far, Iran has not reached a final decision on any deal.”
What happens next?
Trump says he could sign a memorandum of understanding with his vice president in Europe as early as this weekend JD Vance is expected to lead the U.S. delegation.Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said, “We just got a great settlement on the war with Iran and we’re going to finalize the document. We should be done in the next few days. We’ll probably sign a deal, maybe in Europe. When oil prices go down, everything else goes down.”Trump also claimed that Iran had agreed to permanently give up developing or acquiring nuclear weapons under the proposed arrangement.“They’re not going to have nuclear weapons. They’ve agreed to that. There’s not going to be nuclear weapons, that’s the whole reason, that’s a big part of the reason. Not only are they not going to have nuclear weapons, they’re not going to have them in any way, shape, shape or form. They’re not going to have nuclear weapons,” he further added.He called the proposed arrangement good for Washington and the wider region, while insisting that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remained a core goal.“Because they (Iran) have taken a hit that few people can take, they want a deal more than I do. We could have gone another way, but it would have taken longer. As you know, they’ve been hit hard lately. I don’t like doing it, but I feel like it’s necessary. It’s a great deal for the United States and the Middle East, and I think ultimately it’s great for Iran, too, because they’re going to be able to build their own country,” Trump said.
