Netanyahu and Trump Discuss Revised Iran Peace Deal Draft

USA – Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump on Tuesday held a tense phone call, discussing the revised draft of Iran peace deal drawn up by Qatar and Pakistan, according to Axios on Wednesday.

Netanyahu is seeking to resume hostilities against Iran in a war that has been paused since early April in a ceasefire that Trump subsequently extended indefinitely.

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment about the report.

According to CNN, citing US and Israeli officials, Netanyahu urged Trump to continue as planned with new targeted strikes, arguing that a delay only benefits Iran, while Trump pushed back, saying diplomacy was worth pursuing “a few more days.”

The call came after Trump on Sunday had informed Netanyahu that new strikes – expected to be named Operation Sledgehammer – were likely early in the week, according to CNN.

Trump later announced that he halted the planned attacks at the request of Gulf allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

He said earlier Wednesday that talks aimed at finally ending the war are in their “final stages.”

“We’re going to give this one shot. I’m in no hurry. You never think, ‘Oh, the midterms, I’m in a hurry.’ “I’m in no hurry. I just, ideally, I’d like to see few people killed, as opposed to a lot,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews as he prepared to depart for the state of Connecticut.

He downplayed any division with Netanyahu, saying they are on the same page regarding Iran, and insisting Netanyahu will “do whatever I want him to do. He’s a very, very good man.”

Speaking to graduates at the US Coast Guard Academy after he arrived in the northeastern state, the president said about the negotiations with Iran that “the only question is, do we go and finish it up, or are they going to be signing a document? Let’s see what happens.”