Netanyahu to Meet with Trump as Iran Nuclear Talks Resume
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday to discuss the status of American talks with Iran regarding its nuclear program, Netanyahu’s office announced Saturday.
The meeting comes after indirect talks between U.S. And Iranian officials were held in Muscat, Oman, on Friday. While President Trump described those talks as “very good” and indicated further discussions are planned for early next week, the Israeli Prime Minister believes any negotiations with Iran must include limitations on ballistic missiles and an end to Tehran’s support for regional militant groups, according to a statement released by his office.
Netanyahu will depart for Washington on Tuesday and is scheduled to meet with President Trump on Wednesday morning, with a return to Israel planned for Friday. The meeting was moved forward at Netanyahu’s request, according to a White House official.
The U.S. Was represented in the Oman talks by Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law. The discussions appeared to return to the starting point regarding how to approach the complex issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
Amidst the diplomatic efforts, tensions remain high. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday asserted that Iran is not intimidated by the U.S. Military presence in the region, referencing the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships. Araghchi stated that Iran’s strength lies in its ability to “say no to the great powers.”
Araghchi also reiterated Iran’s position that it will not abandon its right to enrich uranium, even if war were to be imposed upon them. He further emphasized that Iran’s missile program is “never negotiable.”
The Iranian Foreign Minister acknowledged a “very, very deep distrust” stemming from past negotiations, specifically referencing an incident where U.S. Forces bombed Iranian nuclear sites during a previous Israel-Iran conflict. He warned that Iran would target U.S. Bases in the region should Iranian territory be attacked.
Despite the existing distrust, Araghchi characterized the recent talks as “a good start,” but cautioned that “there is a long way to go to build trust.” He indicated that further discussions would resume “soon.”
Araghchi also criticized what he described as a “doctrine of domination” that allows Israel to expand its military arsenal while simultaneously pressuring other states in the region to disarm.
President Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to reach a deal on its nuclear program, particularly following a crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran that reportedly resulted in thousands of deaths. The U.S. Naval build-up in the region is seen as a demonstration of that resolve.
