Trump-Netanyahu Phone Call Turns Tense Over Iran War And Possible Deal

US President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a tense phone call this week over the future of the war with Iran, amid growing differences between Washington and Tel Aviv on whether to pursue diplomacy or resume military strikes.

According to PTI, the conversation on Tuesday highlighted Netanyahu’s push for renewed attacks on Iran, while Trump signalled he still believed a deal could be reached. US media outlet Axios reported that Netanyahu’s “hair was on fire” after the call, with the Israeli leader pressing for further strikes to weaken Iran’s military capabilities and damage critical infrastructure.

Trump had earlier said he postponed planned US strikes on Iran that were scheduled for Tuesday after appeals from Arab countries including Qatar and the UAE. Reported PTI, regional mediators subsequently prepared a revised peace proposal aimed at narrowing differences between Washington and Tehran.

Axios, quoting sources, said Qatar and Pakistan drafted the revised memo with support from other mediators in the region. Netanyahu remains highly sceptical of the negotiations and wants military operations to resume in order to further degrade Iran’s military strength and weaken the regime.

Trump, however, has continued to insist that diplomacy remains possible, while warning that military action could quickly return if talks collapse.

“The only question is, do we go and finish it up, or are they gonna be signing a document. Let's see what happens,” Trump said on Wednesday at the Coast Guard Academy.

Later on Wednesday, after returning to Washington from Connecticut, Trump said the US and Iran were “right on the borderline” between reaching an agreement and resuming the war.

“It's right on the borderline, believe me. If we don't get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We're all ready to go. We have to get the right answers — it would have to be a complete 100 per cent good answers,” he told reporters.

CNN, citing an Israeli source, reported there was strong support within senior levels of the Israeli government for renewed military action, along with mounting frustration over what officials described as Iran’s diplomatic foot-dragging and Trump’s willingness to continue negotiations.

Trump also said Netanyahu “will do whatever I want him to do” on Iran, while maintaining that the two leaders shared a good relationship.

Iran has confirmed it is reviewing an updated proposal but has shown no clear sign of flexibility so far. According to PTI, Iran’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that negotiations were continuing “based on Iran's 14-point proposal”, adding that Pakistan’s interior minister was in Tehran to assist mediation efforts.

Axios also reported, citing a US source briefed on the Trump-Netanyahu call, that Trump told Netanyahu mediators were working on a “letter of intent” to be signed by both Washington and Tehran. The proposed document would formally end the war and begin a 30-day negotiating period covering issues including Iran’s nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

(With inputs from PTI)