Netanyahu is pressing Trump to restart Iran war as Arab leaders step up diplomatic efforts, report says.
The person said regional leaders were urging Trump not to escalate the conflict and to prioritise negotiations. A diplomat briefed on the discussions described the meeting as “positive”, saying there was agreement that diplomacy was the preferred way forward to reach a deal. Trump said Iran was militarily “effectively over” and indicated that a fresh US attack was not necessary at this stage. He nevertheless said American forces remained prepared to act if circumstances changed. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said the priority should remain diplomatic efforts. “The priority must remain the pursuit of political diplomatic solutions capable of producing a more sustainable regional balance,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been calling US President Donald Trump every day to urge him to resume military action against Iran, even as Arab and Muslim leaders along with officials in White House step up efforts to prevent a fresh escalation and push Washington towards negotiations. At least four Arab and Muslim leaders have spoken to the US president in recent days, seeking to persuade him to give diplomacy more time amid concerns that Washington could launch fresh strikes after last week’s midterm elections. The leaders include Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Vice-President JD Vance also attended the meeting. Qatar has been spearheading regional efforts to broker an interim agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Trump made the remarks after meeting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House on Monday.