As Netanyahu’s office announced, during the conversation the Israeli Prime Minister emphasized “the security needs of the State of Israel in the context of negotiations”, at a time when Washington is considering further diplomatic steps with Iran. Netanyahu was expected to insist that the talks not only be limited to the nuclear program, but also include Iran’s missile arsenal.
The meeting was the seventh meeting between the two leaders since Trump returned to office last year, and was held behind closed doors and without the presence of the media. The conversation lasted almost three hours. Trump described it as a “very good meeting”, but stressed that no key decisions were made.
“Nothing definitive has been achieved except that I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see if a deal can be concluded or not. If it can, I let the prime minister know that it will be a preference. If not, we will have to see what the outcome will be,” Trump said, recalling that the US attacked Iran’s nuclear sites last June after the collapse of earlier talks.
Trump has previously threatened to attack Iran if a deal is not reached, while Tehran has warned of possible retaliation, sparking fears of a wider conflict. In an interview with Fox Business, Trump said a good deal would mean “no nuclear weapons, no missiles,” without elaborating. He also told Axios that he is considering sending another aircraft carrier strike group as part of a US military buildup near Iran.
Israeli officials fear the US could pursue a narrow nuclear deal that would not include curbs on its ballistic missile program or an end to Iran’s support for armed allies such as Hamas and Hezbollah. According to the sources, Israel urged Washington not to believe Iran’s promises.
Netanyahu’s office said the two leaders agreed to continue “close coordination and close contact.” Iran, on the other hand, has said it is ready to discuss limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions, but has ruled out talks on missiles. “The missile capabilities of the Islamic Republic are not subject to negotiation,” said adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Shamhani.
Gaza was also discussed at the meeting. Trump said they discussed the “tremendous progress being made in Gaza and the region in general”, although the ceasefire talks still face serious disagreements, particularly over the disarmament of Hamas and the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Netanyahu’s visit to the White House was unusually discreet, without the usual media addresses, and reporters were not allowed into the Oval Office. The visit was moved from the original date of mid-February, at a time when the US and Iran renewed diplomatic contacts, after a meeting in Oman last week where both sides rated the talks as positive.
