Trump Urges Netanyahu Not to Disrupt Iran Nuclear Talks

President Donald Trump held a "direct and pointed" conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday regarding ongoing U.S. negotiations with Iran. According to two Israeli and American sources familiar with the discussion, Netanyahu urged Trump to resume military action against Iran immediately after the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, expressing concern over the current negotiations. Axios reported that Trump, however, wishes to allow the current talks to proceed without Israeli interference, though his stance could change if the negotiations fail. Neither the White House nor the Prime Minister's office commented on the specifics of the call.

Despite diplomatic efforts, Trump is preparing for the possibility of renewed hostilities. Similar to the periods preceding previous military operations against Iran, the President is pursuing parallel paths: attempting to reach an agreement to resume peace talks while also preparing for potential extensive military actions after the elections. Last week, Vice President Jay-D Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, a senior official in Iran's National Security Council, focusing on the possibility of resuming negotiations. This marked the highest-level U.S. outreach to Iran in months.

Trump stated on Saturday that the talks were "progressing fine" and that he was "not particularly rushed." He acknowledged that the Iranians are interested in an agreement but expressed skepticism about their reliability, noting, "They reach an agreement and then back out." He also clarified that the U.S. still needs to "deal with" one or two nuclear sites in Iran, including a suspected facility built inside a mountain, adding, "We have a plan ready for that."

Meanwhile, mediation efforts continue. Qatari intermediaries held talks with Iranian officials for the third consecutive day on Sunday, aiming to finalize an agreement that would allow direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran and prevent a return to hostilities. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that an agreement had not yet been reached, pending responses from the U.S. He expressed hope that the other side would demonstrate sufficient logic to prefer the diplomatic path over other options.