Donald Trump has declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “will do whatever I want him to do” following a lengthy phone call between the two leaders about the war in Iran. The US president made the remarks to Israel’s Channel 12 after what sources described as a “dramatic” conversation on Wednesday, during which the pair reportedly clashed over whether to resume strikes against Tehran or allow more time for diplomatic negotiations.
Trump had been expected to relaunch military attacks imminently, but called off plans on Wednesday to give Iran a chance to “give the right answers”. Speaking at Joint Base Andrews, he told reporters: “Believe me, if we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go.” Asked how long he would wait, he replied: “It could be a few days, but it could go very quickly.”
When questioned about whether he and Netanyahu were on the same page, Trump answered “yeah”, adding that the Israeli leader was “a very good man” and a “great guy”. Both the US and Israel have insisted on a red line preventing Iran from developing a nuclear programme, with Trump demanding Tehran surrender its uranium, which he referred to as “nuclear dust”.
Iran announced on Thursday that it was reviewing Washington’s latest position on ending the conflict. Earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned against renewed attacks, stating: “If aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will extend beyond the region this time.” Tehran recently submitted a new proposal to the US, but its terms – including control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, sanctions relief, release of frozen assets, and withdrawal of US troops – largely repeat demands Trump has previously rejected.
Trump faces growing domestic pressure over rising oil prices as November’s midterm elections approach. Fellow Republicans in Congress are grappling with political headwinds amid skyrocketing petrol prices and turbulent global energy markets. Meanwhile, the Senate voted 50-47 on Tuesday to advance legislation seeking to force Trump to withdraw from the Iran war, with a number of Republicans defying the president.
