US President Donald Trump appears to be determined to reach a deal with Iran aimed at ending hostilities in the Middle East, three senior Israeli officials said on Tuesday.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that they viewed it is unlikely that Iran would agree to US demands in any new round of negotiations, which broke down on February 28 with the launch of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Those US demands were likely to include curbs on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
Trump wrote on social media on Monday that the US and Iran had held "very good and productive" conversations about a "complete and total resolution of hostilities in the Middle East".
Iran said after Trump's post that no negotiations had taken place.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Trump believed there was a possibility of "leveraging the mighty achievements obtained by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) and the US military, in order to realize the goals of the war in a deal - a deal that will preserve our vital interests."
Also Read: Netanyahu says Trump sees chance for Iran deal
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that US President Donald Trump believes a deal with Iran may be possible. The remarks come as Israel continues military operations while weighing diplomatic options.
In his first public remarks since Trump announced talks with Iran, Netanyahu revealed that he had spoken with the US president.
Describing Trump as “our friend,” Netanyahu said the two leaders discussed the possibility of reaching a deal that could help achieve the objectives of the ongoing war.
Trump sees opportunity for agreement
According to Netanyahu, Trump believes there is a chance to “leverage the massive achievements” of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and the US military. He said such progress could be used to secure an agreement that would meet the goals of the war while protecting Israel’s vital interests.
Netanyahu emphasized that any deal must preserve these interests, reflecting Israel’s cautious approach to diplomacy.
