Netanyahu Urges Trump to Strike Iran Post-Election; President Favors Talks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing U.S. President Donald Trump to resume strikes against Iran shortly after the November 3 U.S. congressional elections, according to Axios. The report, citing two Israeli and one American source, stated that Netanyahu made this demand during a direct phone call with Trump on Saturday. However, Trump appears to prefer giving negotiations with Tehran more time.

The Israeli source described the conversation as "difficult," while the American source called it "frank." Both the White House and Netanyahu's office declined to comment. Trump had previously stated that talks with Iran were "going well" and that he was "not in a hurry," though he acknowledged the ongoing need to address Iranian nuclear sites.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Trump has not decided on new attacks and favors a diplomatic approach. Axios had previously reported on October 28 that Washington and Tel Aviv had prepared plans for a large-scale military operation that could commence after the elections if negotiations failed. The Associated Press reported the same day that U.S. officials had warned regional allies about the potential for renewed attacks and an Iranian response targeting energy infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Qatari mediators and Iranian representatives continued their three-day talks on Sunday aimed at reaching an understanding to resume direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that discussions regarding a proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz within two days were ongoing without a final agreement, stating that progress depended on the U.S. response. Tehran had initially proposed a seven-day plan in late September to open the strait in exchange for lifting naval blockades and export restrictions, a proposal Trump rejected.

Araghchi clarified that the proposed timeframe has been reduced to two days, with the condition that Washington fulfills its commitments first. The conflict began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, followed by retaliatory strikes from Tehran. Despite a memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 to initiate a peaceful process, escalation resumed approximately three weeks later. The near-halt of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for Gulf energy supplies, led to a global rise in fuel prices. On October 28, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Bahraini counterpart Abdul Latif Al Zayani emphasized the necessity of resuming U.S.-Iran talks based on the June memorandum and ensuring navigation security in the Strait of Hormuz.