Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted to US President Donald Trump that the US should resume military action against Iran immediately after the midterm elections on November 3. However, Trump has not yet made a decision and prefers to give more time to diplomatic efforts with Tehran, Axios and the Israeli channel N12 reported, citing American and Israeli sources familiar with the conversation.
The phone call took place on Saturday. According to Axios, the American and Israeli sources described it as “direct“ and “sharp“, respectively. The White House and the Israeli prime minister's office have not commented on its content.
Netanyahu has expressed concern about the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, conducted with the mediation of Qatar. Trump insists that the diplomatic channel should be exhausted before proceeding with a new military operation. At the same time, the US administration is also preparing options for the resumption of large-scale combat operations after the elections.
Trump: I'm in no hurry
Trump told reporters that he had a "very good conversation" with Netanyahu, but did not reveal details. He said that the negotiations with Iran were going well and that he was "in no hurry", while at the same time expressing distrust of Tehran. "They make a deal and then they walk away," the president said, according to the Associated Press and Axios.
Trump also said the United States must deal with one or two Iranian nuclear sites. He said it could be done "very quickly," but his public statements did not indicate he had ordered new strikes.
Mediation Continues
Qatari mediators held talks with Iranian officials for a third day in an attempt to reach an agreement that would allow direct talks between the United States and Iran to resume and prevent further escalation after the election.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there was no agreement yet. "We hope the other side will be wise enough to choose diplomacy over other paths," he said. He said the development depends on the US's answers to the questions raised by Iran.
In parallel with the diplomatic contacts, Washington maintains military readiness for action after November 3. Last week, Vice President J.D. Vance sent a letter to Iranian representative Mohsen Rezaei regarding a possible resumption of negotiations. This is the highest-level American contact with Iran in several months.
Sources: axios.com, n12.co.il, apnews.com