Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that he will discuss Iran’s nuclear program and the next phase of the Gaza peace plan with U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit to Washington next week.
Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem alongside Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Netanyahu stated that Israel is aware of Iran conducting recent “exercises,” though he did not elaborate on the details. Iranian state media reported earlier on Monday that Iran had conducted missile exercises in various cities, marking the second such drill this month.
Western powers view Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles as a traditional military threat to the stability of the Middle East and a potential delivery mechanism for nuclear weapons should Tehran develop them. Iran denies any intention of building atomic bombs.
Despite mentioning “significant achievements” during the 12-day war with Iran last June, Netanyahu emphasized that the fundamental expectations of Israel and the United States from Iran remain unchanged, including reducing the level of uranium enrichment. “This topic will clearly be on the table in our discussions,” he said regarding his upcoming meeting with Trump, adding, “We are not seeking confrontation” with Iran, but rather “stability, prosperity, and peace.”
Netanyahu also clarified that the focus of his discussions with Trump in Washington will also be on transitioning to the next phase of Trump’s peace plan in Gaza, as well as addressing members of the Lebanese Hezbollah operating from Iran.
Potential Strikes
Israeli and American sources revealed last Saturday that Netanyahu plans to inform Trump about plans to launch potential new strikes against Iran. NBC News, which reported the story, stated that Israeli officials are increasingly concerned about Iran’s “expansion of its ballistic missile program” and are preparing to brief the U.S. President on options for attacking it again.
