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Trump, Netanyahu clash over Iran plan to end war: Report

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) arrive for a press conference in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, September 29, 2025. (AFP Photo)
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US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) arrive for a press conference in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, September 29, 2025. (AFP Photo)
May 21, 2026 08:47 AM GMT+03:00

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a lengthy, tense phone call Tuesday as regional mediators stepped up efforts to revive negotiations with Iran, according to the report.

Trump informed Netanyahu that mediators were drafting a "letter of intent" that would formally end the conflict and open a 30-day negotiation period focused on Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, though the two leaders sharply disagreed on how to proceed, sources told U.S. outlet Axios.

Netanyahu mulls White House visit over Iran negotiations

The renewed diplomatic push comes as Trump weighs whether to support further military action against Iran or give negotiations more time.

A revised proposal, shaped by Qatar and Pakistan with backing from other regional actors, is now being circulated in an attempt to narrow differences between Washington and Tehran.

Netanyahu remains deeply skeptical about the talks and wants military pressure on Iran to continue, sources indicated.

Following the call, Netanyahu was reportedly extremely alarmed over the direction of the negotiations and the possibility that Washington could move ahead with a temporary agreement with Tehran.

After the call, Netanyahu is said to be considering a visit to Washington in the coming weeks for face-to-face talks with Trump at the White House, officials added.

Trump, meanwhile, has continued to publicly signal that a deal remains possible while also warning that military operations could quickly resume if negotiations collapse.

Asked about Netanyahu’s approach to a possible deal, Trump tried to downplay divisions, telling reporters that the Israeli prime minister "will do whatever I want him to do" regarding Iran while also describing their relationship as strong.

A senior Israeli official told Channel 13 that Trump has been under pressure from close advisers and several Gulf countries to pursue a diplomatic deal with Tehran, adding that any lasting agreement would require concessions from Washington while the military option against Iran remained on the table.

US President Donald Trump (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walk together in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, January 28, 2020. (AFP Photo)
US President Donald Trump (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walk together in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, January 28, 2020. (AFP Photo)

Tehran rejects pressure tactics

Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt have spent recent days refining the framework in hopes of bridging disagreements between the two sides, the report suggested.

Qatar reportedly presented an updated draft to both Washington and Tehran, while Iranian officials confirmed that negotiations were still underway based on Tehran’s own 14-point proposal.

Iranian lawmaker Feda Hossein Maliki, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission, announced that Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir would deliver a new U.S. message to Tehran on Thursday.

"The goal is to secure clearer commitments from Iran regarding its nuclear program and more detailed guarantees from the U.S. over the gradual release of frozen Iranian assets," one regional official familiar with the talks noted. Still, uncertainty remains high over whether Tehran will accept the revised terms.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian pushed back against Trump’s threats to resume strikes if a deal failed to materialize, arguing that pressure tactics would not force Tehran into concessions.

"Iran has consistently fulfilled its commitments and sought every possible way to prevent war. All paths remain open from our perspective," Pezeshkian wrote on X. He also criticized attempts to pressure Iran into submission, calling such expectations "nothing more than an illusion."

"Mutual respect in diplomacy is far wiser, safer and more sustainable than war," he added.

May 21, 2026 08:58 AM GMT+03:00
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