Israel Worries Trump May Ease Nuclear Deal Terms for Iran

As reports suggest major progress in talks between the United States and Iran, concern is rising in Jerusalem that the emerging agreement will be looser than Israel had hoped at the start. Israeli officials are closely watching the apparent understandings between Washington and Tehran, and fear that some of the American red lines set early in the negotiations may no longer be included in the draft.

According to Israeli assessments reported by Channel 12, one of the main concerns is the fate of Iran's enriched uranium. Israel would prefer the material be removed from Iranian territory, but officials familiar with the talks think the Trump administration may settle for diluting the enriched uranium and lowering its enrichment level instead. Israelis also see a retreat from other early demands, including zero uranium enrichment and tougher limits on Iran's ballistic missile program.

People close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they are worried about the direction of the negotiations. "The big fear is that Trump will do to us what Obama did," they said. Israeli officials also note that, unlike during Barack Obama's nuclear deal, Israel now has less room to maneuver with the White House, in part because of Netanyahu's close ties with President Donald Trump.

Jerusalem is also concerned about wider regional consequences, including the possibility that Iran would gain major economic relief and renewed international legitimacy after the recent war. American officials are trying to calm those fears. A senior administration official said Washington sees about an 85% chance of reaching an agreement in the coming days, but stressed that Iran will not get immediate economic benefits just for signing. "If they hand over enriched uranium, they will get something in return. If they dismantle nuclear facilities, they will get something in return. Only after they implement their commitments will we implement ours," the official said. The U.S. also says it does not expect Israel to give up its right to self-defense under the deal, and that the issue has been passed on to Jerusalem's political leadership.