president Donald Trump As Israeli prime minister publicly asserts his authority over U.S. foreign policy Benjamin Netanyahu Intensifying the war in the Middle East, claiming that he – not Israel – will determine the course of U.S. negotiations with Iran.
In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump said Netanyahu had “no choice” but to accept a potential U.S.-Iran deal that Trump was negotiating.
The comments came hours after Iran launched missile strikes into northern Israel in support of Hezbollah following the Israeli attack on Beirut.
Trump, who spoke with Netanyahu about an hour earlier, told Axios that he would contact Netanyahu to encourage him not to retaliate against Iran as Washington pursues a deal with Iran.
After Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel, Trump said, “I’m going to call Bibi right now and tell him not to retaliate. They each have their own fun. Israel took a hit, Iran took a hit. We don’t need that to happen again.”
Asked by the Financial Times whether Netanyahu would support a deal with Iran, Trump said: “I dictate. I dictate. He doesn’t dictate.” “He has no choice.”
Trump also reiterated that negotiations were still possible despite recent military exchanges. The White House has been trying to establish a framework to limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities while avoiding a regional war that might attract U.S. military involvement.
“It’s not going to have any impact on the deal,” Trump said. “We’ll see how that plays out. But these attacks didn’t happen at all.”
The president added that the clashes between Israeli and Iranian-backed forces were part of a long-term regional struggle. “This is one of those things that has been going on for 3,000 years or 47 years, depending on how you count,” he said.
Read more: Iran War News Live: Trump says Netanyahu has ‘no choice’ but to accept deal with Iran
The latest comments add to a series of public disagreements between the two leaders in recent weeks.
“We’re very close to a final deal with Iran. It’s going to be a good deal. I don’t want it to fall apart because of what’s happening now,” Trump told Axios on Sunday.
According to CNN, Trump admitted last week that he was “uneasy” about Israel’s military plans in Lebanon while he also tried to advance negotiations with Iran.
Netanyahu has historically opposed a nuclear deal with Tehran. During the Obama administration, he became one of the most outspoken critics of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Trump himself withdrew the United States from the deal during his first term. However, his administration is now seeking a different diplomatic framework to limit Iran’s nuclear program
The president also warned that military options remain if diplomacy fails.
According to the Financial Times, Trump said that failure to reach a deal could result in “number one, which means we might step in and deal with other places that we’re not dealing with militarily. Or it just means that we’re going to keep [US naval] A blockade against Iran because a blockade could be more powerful than any attack on the country. “
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