Trump and Netanyahu discuss Iran strikes during phone call
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged immediate military action following the US midterm elections, according to reports.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone conversation on Saturday to discuss negotiations with Iran and potential military operations, according to reports by Moneycontrol and the Times of India.
The discussion, which Axios described as involving a tough conversation from an Israeli perspective and a direct one from a US perspective, focused on the timing of strikes. Netanyahu reportedly pressed for military action to occur immediately after the November 3 US midterm elections, while Trump favoured allowing more time for diplomatic efforts.
Trump told reporters on Saturday that negotiations with Iran were progressing well and that he was not in a hurry to resume military action. However, he noted that the US needs to address certain Iranian nuclear sites, specifically mentioning a suspected facility known as Pickaxe Mountain.
The conversation followed a letter sent last week by US Vice President JD Vance to Iranian national security chief Mohsen Rezaei regarding the possibility of restarting negotiations. This was noted as the highest-level US diplomatic outreach to Iran in several months.
In Qatar, mediators met with Iranian officials on Sunday for a third day to seek an agreement for direct talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that no agreement has been reached and that progress depends on Washington responding to questions from Tehran.