Trump tells Netanyahu he will continue talks with Iran to see if deal possible

Washington: President Donald Trump held talks with Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss renewed U.S. nuclear talks with Iran, and said he told the Israeli prime minister that negotiations with Tehran would continue to see if a deal can be ⁠reached.

Netanyahu, who had been expected to press Trump to widen diplomacy with Iran beyond its nuclear program to include limits on Tehran's missile arsenal, stressed "the security needs of the State ⁠of Israel in the context of the negotiations," his office said in a statement.

In their seventh meeting since Trump ‌returned to office last year, Netanyahu - whose visit was more muted ​than usual and closed to the press - was looking to influence the next round of U.S. discussions with Iran following nuclear negotiations held in Oman last Friday.

The two leaders spoke behind closed doors for nearly three hours in what Trump described as a "very good meeting" but said no major decisions were made.

Trump has threatened strikes on Iran if no agreement is reached, while Tehran has vowed to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war. He has repeatedly voiced support for a secure Israel, a longstanding U.S. ally ​and arch-foe of Iran.

In media interviews on Tuesday, Trump ⁠reiterated his warning, saying that while he believes Iran wants a deal, he would do "something very tough" if it refused.

"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 said in a social media post after the meeting with Netanyahu. "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," ‌Trump added, noting that the last time Iran decided against an agreement the U.S. struck its nuclear sites last June.

TRUMP SAYS NO TO IRANIAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS, MISSILES

Trump told Fox Business in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that a good deal with Iran ‌would mean "no nuclear weapons, no missiles," without elaborating. He also told Axios he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group as part of a major U.S. buildup near Iran.

Israel fears that the U.S. ⁠might pursue a narrow nuclear deal that does not include restrictions on Iran's ballistic missile program or an end to Iranian support for armed proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, according to people familiar with the matter. Israeli officials ‌have urged the U.S. not to trust Iran's promises.

The two leaders had also been expected to talk about potential military action if diplomacy ‌with Iran fails, one source said.

"The two agreed to continue their close coordination and tight contact," Netanyahu's office said.

Iran has said it ‌is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions but has ruled out linking the issue to missiles.

"The Islamic Republic's ‌missile capabilities are non-negotiable," Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said on Wednesday. Netanyahu's arrival at the White House was lower-key than usual. He entered the building away from the view of reporters and cameras.

The two leaders were shown shaking hands in a photo released by the Israeli Embassy. Unlike previous Netanyahu visits with Trump, the White House press pool was not ⁠allowed into the Oval Office. It ⁠was not immediately known why he received such low-profile treatment.

GAZA ON THE AGENDA

Also on the agenda was Gaza, with Trump looking to push ahead with a ceasefire agreement he helped to broker. Progress on his 20-point plan to end the war and rebuild the shattered Palestinian enclave has stalled, with major gaps over steps such as Hamas disarming as Israeli troops withdraw in phases.

"We discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the Region in general," Trump said after the meeting.

Netanyahu's visit, originally scheduled for February 18, was brought forward amid renewed U.S. engagement with Iran. Both sides at last week's Oman meeting said the negotiations were positive and further talks were expected soon.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ahead of the Oman meeting that negotiations would need to address Iran's ​missiles, its proxy groups, and its treatment of its own population. Iran said Friday’s talks focused only on nuclear issues.

Trump, who returned to office nearly ​13 months ago, has been vague about broadening the negotiations. He ​was quoted as telling Axios on Tuesday that it was a "no-brainer" for any deal to cover Iran's nuclear program, but that he also thought it possible to address its missile stockpiles.