Trump says he ‘insisted’ to Netanyahu that Iran talks go on, as PM stresses ‘security needs’ |
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump met privately with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday, and later said he had insisted to the Israeli leader that American negotiations with Iran continue.
Netanyahu said following the meeting that he had stressed Israel’s security needs. The meeting lasted three hours, but was not followed by public statements or a press conference, with both Trump and Netanyahu preferring to put out brief statements.
The highly anticipated meeting, the leaders’ seventh since Trump returned to office last year, came at a tense time in the Middle East, as the US president has threatened to attack Iran over its brutal repression of anti-regime protests last month. Iran has said it would strike Israel and US targets in response.
The US has built up forces in the Middle East, and is readying to send more, but it has also embarked on negotiations with Iran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Those talks were expected to be the focus of the meeting.
But despite the charged lead-up, the event itself was relatively muted. Unlike other times they have met, the two leaders did not speak to press, take questions, or make any bombshell announcements. Netanyahu did not enter the White House via the West Wing entrance where reporters were waiting, but took the south entrance.
“It was a very good meeting, the tremendous relationship between our two Countries continues,” Trump posted afterward on social media. “There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated.”
He added, “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.”
In his own short readout after the meeting, Netanyahu said the two sides “addressed negotiations with Iran, Gaza, and regional developments.”
“The prime minister emphasized Israel’s security needs in the context of the negotiations, and the two agreed to maintain close coordination and ongoing communication,” said the Prime Minister’s Office.
Netanyahu had originally planned to travel to Washington next week, but flew to Wednesday’s flash meeting given the sky-high regional tensions. Trump has threatened to attack Iran........