Fearing Harm to Nuclear Talks, Trump Tells Pentagon to Not Coordinate With Israel on Iran Nuclear Strike

U.S. President Donald Trump admitted Thursday that he warned Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu against launching an attack on Iran while nuclear negotiations were ongoing.

Trump went as far as ordering the Pentagon and U.S. military to suspend all coordination with Israel regarding a potential joint strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Channel 12 reported.

Meanwhile, despite the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Israel had continued its own preparations for a possible attack. Concerned that this could derail talks with Iran, Trump initiated a direct phone call to Netanyahu to issue a stern warning. Cooperation with the U.S. remains critical for Israel, especially regarding missile defense systems.

Earlier this week, the news outlet revealed details of the tense and dramatic call between the two leaders. Following the conversation, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a short statement noting that the two discussed the Iranian issue and agreed on the necessity of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

During the call, details of which were published under censorship restrictions, Trump conveyed his firm stance on Iran’s nuclear program. According to sources familiar with the conversation, the two disagreed significantly. Trump reportedly emphasized his commitment to a diplomatic resolution and expressed confidence in his ability to secure an agreement that would also satisfy Israeli security concerns.

Last week, CNN reported that Trump believes the U.S. is close to finalizing a new nuclear deal with Iran. Trump confirmed that in his conversation with Netanyahu, first reported by News 12, he told the Israeli leader that a military strike was “inappropriate and inappropriate.”

When asked about the call, Trump said:
“Yes, I want to be honest. I told him that I don’t think it’s appropriate now, because if we can reach a very strong agreement—we can save a lot of lives. I think they want to make a deal, but that could change in one phone call.”

According to the president, the U.S. negotiating team has had very productive discussions with Iran, and an interim agreement may be reached at the next meeting. This could serve as a foundation for a more comprehensive deal. U.S. concerns over a possible Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure have grown in recent weeks, prompting Trump’s call and his decision to go public with the content of the discussion.