Trump says he told Netanyahu not to strike Iran amid nuclear talks
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off striking Iran, saying it would be 'inappropriate' amid talks on a nuclear deal.
'Well, I'd like to be honest, yes I did,' Trump said when asked if he had told Netanyahu in a call last week not to take any action that could disrupt Washington's talks with Tehran.
Pressed on what he told the Israeli premier, Trump replied: 'I just said I don't think it's appropriate, we're having very good discussions with them.'
He added: 'I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we're very close to a solution.
'I think they want to make a deal, and if we can make a deal, save a lot of lives.'
Tehran and Washington have in recent weeks held five rounds of talks focused on the issue – their highest-level contact since the US in 2018 withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal during Trump's first term.
Iran said earlier Wednesday it may consider allowing US inspectors with the United Nations nuclear watchdog to inspect its facilities if a deal is reached with the United States.
But Israel has repeatedly threatened military action against arch-enemy Iran and US media reports last week said Israel was making preparations to strike Iranian nuclear sites despite the ongoing US-Iran talks.
Trump has not ruled out military action but said he wants space to make a deal first – and has also said that Israel, and not the United States – would take the lead in any such strikes.
Iran has long been accused by Western powers of seeking to develop nuclear weapons – a claim Tehran has consistently denied, insisting its nuclear program is solely for peaceful, civilian purposes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
35 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Putin ‘strongly' vowed to respond to Ukraine's drone attack on Russian bombers: Trump
US President Donald Trump said he spoke to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Wednesday about Ukraine and Iran, warning that the Kremlin leader had 'very strongly' pledged to respond to Kyiv's stunning drone attack on Russian bombers. Trump said that there was no 'immediate peace' on the horizon in Ukraine – which Russia invaded in 2022 – following what he described as a one hour and 15 minute call with the Russian president. On Iran, Trump said that Putin had offered to 'participate' in talks on Tehran's nuclear program, as Trump accused the Islamic Republic of 'slowwalking' its response to Washington's offer of a deal. The call came three days after Ukraine conducted a massive, daring drone attack against Russian military airbases, saying it had destroyed several Russian nuclear-capable bombers worth billions of dollars. Trump said that he and Putin had 'discussed the attack on Russia's docked airplanes, by Ukraine and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides.' 'It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace. President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,' Trump said in his post. Trump did not say whether he had warned Putin off any such retaliation against Ukraine, which Washington has supported to the tune of billions of dollars in its fight against Russia. 'Definitive answer' The Republican has repeatedly alarmed Kyiv and Western allies by appearing to side with Putin over the war, and had a blazing Oval Office row with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But Trump has also showed growing frustration with Putin as Russia has so far derailed the US president's efforts to honor a campaign pledge to end the war within 24 hours – even if he never explained how this could be achieved. The call between Trump and Putin did however show that Washington and Moscow may be eying cooperation on another key global issue – Iran. Trump said he believed they were both 'in agreement' that Iran could not have a nuclear weapon, and that time was running out for Tehran to respond to US offers of a deal. 'President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion,' Trump said. The US president added: 'It is my opinion that Iran has been slowwalking their decision on this very important matter, and we will need a definitive answer in a very short period of time!' Putin told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian that Moscow was ready to help advance talks on a nuclear deal, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. But Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said earlier Wednesday that Washington's proposal was against Tehran's national interest, amid sharp differences over whether Tehran can continue to enrich uranium.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump says Iran ‘slowwalking' as Khamenei opposes nuclear proposal
US President Donald Trump accused Tehran on Wednesday of 'slowwalking' on a nuclear deal, after Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said the latest proposal from Washington was against Iran's national interest. The longtime foes have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new accord to replace the deal with major powers that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018, but sharp differences remain over whether Tehran can continue to enrich uranium. On Saturday, Iran said it had received 'elements' of the US proposal through Omani mediators, the details of which have not been publicly disclosed. 'The proposal presented by the Americans is 100 percent against' notions of independence and self-reliance, Khamenei said in a televised speech, invoking ideals of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. 'Independence means not waiting for the green light from America and the likes of America.' Iran's enrichment of uranium has emerged as a major point of contention. Trump said on Monday his administration would not allow 'any' enrichment, despite Tehran's insistence it is its right under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin who 'suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran.' 'It is my opinion that Iran has been slowwalking their decision on this very important matter, and we will need a definitive answer in a very short period of time!' Trump said. Low-level enrichment Khamenei said enrichment is 'key' to Iran's nuclear program and that the United States 'cannot have a say' on the issue. 'If we have 100 nuclear power plants but don't have enrichment, they will be of no use to us,' because 'nuclear power plants need fuel' to operate, he said. The New York Times reported Tuesday that the US proposal includes 'an arrangement that would allow Iran to continue enriching uranium at low levels' as the US and other countries 'work out a more detailed plan intended to block Iran's path to a nuclear weapon.' It said the proposal would see the United States facilitating 'the building of nuclear power plants for Iran and negotiate the construction of enrichment facilities managed by a consortium of regional countries.' Iran has previously said it is open to temporary limits on its enrichment of uranium, and is willing to consider the establishment of a regional nuclear fuel consortium. But it has stressed that such a consortium is 'in no way intended to replace Iran's own uranium enrichment program' Iran's chief negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said in a Wednesday post on X: 'No enrichment, no deal. No nuclear weapons, we have a deal.' Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal but still short of the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead. 'Less than satisfactory' The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in its latest quarterly report last week that Iran had further stepped up its production of highly enriched uranium. In a separate report, it also criticized 'less than satisfactory' cooperation from Tehran, particularly in explaining past cases of nuclear material found at undeclared sites. The reports came ahead of a planned IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna later this month which will review Iran's nuclear activities. Washington and other Western governments have continued to accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear weapons capability. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes only. The 2015 deal provided Iran with relief from international sanctions in return for UN-monitored restrictions on its nuclear activities. Trump reimposed US sanctions when he quit the agreement in 2018 and has since tightened them with secondary sanctions against third parties who violate them. Britain, France and Germany, the three European countries who were party to the 2015 deal, are currently weighing whether to trigger the sanctions 'snapback' mechanism in the accord. The mechanism would reinstate UN sanctions in response to Iranian non-compliance – an option that expires in October. Iran has criticized the IAEA report as unbalanced, saying it relied on 'forged documents' provided by its arch foe Israel.
Leaders
an hour ago
- Leaders
Israel's Approval Hits Record Low across 24 Countries: Pew Survey
A new Pew survey has unveiled that more people across the world have negative views towards Israel and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The Pew Research Center conducted a survey of 24 countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific region, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. The surveys were conducted in the period between January 8, 2025 and April 26, 2025. In some countries, the surveys took place during the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, while in other countries they were conducted after the resumption of war. According to the Pew survey, 62% of adults in the 24 countries surveyed have an unfavorable view of Israel, while 29% have a favorable view. About three-quarters or more have this negative view in Australia (74%), Greece (72%), Indonesia (80%), Japan (79%), the Netherlands (78%), Spain (75%), Sweden (75%) and Türkiye (93%). Meanwhile, India has shown a division in views of Israel, with 34% favorable and 29% unfavorable. Views of Israel are favorable in Kenya and Nigeria (50% and 59% respectively). The survey shows a significant increase in the negative view of Israel among adults by 11% between March 2022 and March 2025. Moreover, the Pew survey shows a decline in confidence in Netanyahu in most of the surveyed countries, with 69% lacking confidence in the Israeli Prime Minister to do the right thing regarding world affairs. Confidence in Netanyahu has reached a record low as around three-quarters of adults or more have little or no confidence in him: Australia (72%), France (77%), Germany (76%), Greece (74%), Indonesia (76%), Italy (80%), Japan (78%), the Netherlands (78%), Spain (84%), Sweden (78%) and Türkiye (94%). On the other hand, 58% of Israelis say their country is not too or not at all respected worldwide, according to Pew survey. Short link : Post Views: 1
