President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday that he is not giving up on diplomatic talks with Iran as the Jewish state expresses skepticism that Tehran will give up its nuclear program.
“There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated,” Trump posted on Truth Social, shortly after a two-hour meeting at the White House. “If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be.”
Neither Trump nor Netanyahu addressed reporters during their seventh meeting since Trump returned to office last year. They also did not issue a joint statement on Wednesday. Still, Trump said they had “a very good meeting, the tremendous relationship between our two Countries continues.”
The president also issued a warning to Iran in his social media post. “Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with [Operation] Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them,” he wrote, referring to last year’s joint strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. “Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible.”
If negotiations with Iran fail, Trump is reportedly considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East to further prepare for military action. “The Iranians really want to make a deal. Either we make a deal, or we have to do something very tough — like last time,” he told Channel 12 earlier this week.
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Israel has accused Tehran of building a nuclear weapon and is pushing for limits to Iran’s ballistic missile programs, pointing to its support of terrorism in the region. Netanyahu is hoping to influence Trump after U.S. officials held indirect talks with Iranian negotiators in Oman last Friday.
“The Prime Minister believes any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on Saturday.