Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to Meet with Trump on Iran Tensions

US President Donald Trump to Meet with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Over Iran Talks

US President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to hold follow-on discussions with Iranian officials after weekend talks in Oman between the two countries. The planned meeting, which will be the seventh between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since Trump’s return to office last year, is expected to address ongoing negotiations with Iran.

Netanyahu’s office stated that the talks will focus on several key issues, including limitations on ballistic missiles and ending support for regional groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has maintained that the talks will remain focused on the nuclear issue, which he considers “non-negotiable”.

The US-Iran talks come after weeks of Trump threatening military action if Iran did not strike a deal. The US president deployed an aircraft carrier and accompanying warships to the Middle East in response to these threats. Iranian officials have expressed eagerness for nuclear-only negotiations, while rejecting a massive US military build-up in the region.

Netanyahu is expected to urge Trump to push Tehran on its ballistic missile programme, which is seen as a red line by Iran. The outcome of the talks will depend on whether Washington focuses on its nuclear demands or adopts Israel’s maximalist position. Analysts say that if the pursuit of Israeli red lines continues, the talks are likely to collapse soon.

The planned meeting between Trump and Netanyahu follows indirect talks held in Oman on Friday, which were described by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian as a “step forward”. The US president said the last round of talks was “very good” and that Iran “looks like it wants to make a deal very badly”.

Source: Al Jazeera