In a development that reveals the extent of American pressure to contain the regional escalation, US President Donald Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to respond to the recent Iranian missile attack, and to give the ongoing negotiations with Tehran a few additional days, in an attempt to save the opportunity to reach an agreement that Washington considers imminent.
According to a report by journalist Barak Ravid on the Axios website, a senior American official and an Israeli source familiar with the details of the call confirmed that Trump informed Netanyahu during a phone call that took place on Sunday of the need to refrain from responding to the Iranian attack and allow room for the diplomatic track.
The American official said: “The President informed Netanyahu that we are close to reaching an agreement, and asked him to give the negotiations a few additional days and not obstruct them.”
The report indicated that Netanyahu tried at the beginning of the call to object to the American position and convince Trump of his point of view, but in the end he “partially agreed” to the US President’s request to wait.
The American official explained that the call was calmer than the tense call between the two leaders last week, stressing that Trump did not raise his voice this time during the conversation with Netanyahu.
He added: “We believe that the president has bought some additional time. He is convinced that we are close to an agreement with Iran, and we do not believe that there is an imminent Israeli strike in the near term.”
He continued: “The president believes that this war has been going on for more than 3 months, and it is time to move forward and end it.”
The American official revealed that the White House did not give Israel a “green light” for the raid it carried out in Beirut, which was followed by the Iranian missile strike, adding: “We were not part of this event.”
Before his call with Netanyahu, Trump had announced in statements reported by Israeli Channel 12 that he would ask the Israeli Prime Minister not to attack Iran.
He said: “The Iranian missile attack did not hurt anyone. I hope Israel will not respond. If Bibi attacks them again, the matter will continue as it has been for the past 47 years, or for the past 3,000 years.”
He added: “We are very close to a final agreement with Iran. It will be a good agreement, and I do not want it to collapse because of what is happening now.”
Trump concluded by saying: “I will call Bibi now and ask him not to respond. Each party did what it had to do. Israel carried out its attack and Iran carried out its attack. We do not need another round.”
These statements reflect a clear American trend towards curbing any new escalation between Israel and Iran, at a time when the nuclear negotiations appear to be at a critical crossroads that may determine the shape of the next phase in the entire region.
