Trump to host Netanyahu as Iran nuclear talks reach critical stage

President Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday, as tensions escalate across the Middle East and negotiations intensify over efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear weapons programme.

Netanyahu is expected to urge Trump to push for an agreement that would stop Iran’s uranium enrichment and curb its backing of proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

“I will present to the president our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations,” Netanyahu told reporters before departing for the US.

Iran has maintained that it will not restrict uranium enrichment unless Western countries ease sanctions that have significantly impacted its economy.

Wednesday’s visit marks Netanyahu’s sixth trip to the US since Trump returned to office — more than any other global leader.

A longstanding ally of Trump, Netanyahu has consistently described Iran as an existential threat to Israel and has encouraged the US to limit Tehran’s regional influence.

“The Prime Minister believes that any negotiations must include limiting ballistic missiles and ending support for the Iranian axis,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement ahead of his trip.

The meeting comes as the US bolsters its military footprint in the Middle East, with Trump cautioning Tehran about possible action if it fails to agree to a nuclear deal.

On Tuesday, the president said he was “thinking” about deploying a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier was dispatched to the area last month after Trump warned of potential strikes on Iran in response to a government crackdown on mass protests that left thousands dead.

“We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going,” Trump said in an interview with Axios. Trump said Iran “wants to make a deal very badly”, adding that a diplomatic solution remains possible.

Israeli officials have reiterated that the country retains the option of military action against Iran if a nuclear agreement with the US is not reached.

Netanyahu is reportedly facing pressure from allies within his far-right coalition to leverage his relationship with Trump to secure a comprehensive US-Iran deal that satisfies Israel’s security demands, analysts said.

“Israel is concerned that in the haste to get a deal with Iran, the president might embrace a deal that doesn’t address Iran’s missile program or support for proxy groups, or that allows it to have some remnant of its nuclear program,” said Dan Byman, a professor at Georgetown University.

“One worry Israel and other allies have about the US under Trump is that he wants a deal more than he wants a particular outcome,” added Byman.

Experts note that Iran appears to be in a more vulnerable position following mass protests and a 12-day air campaign by the US and Israel last year.

“The Iranian regime today is really vulnerable,” said Mohammed Hafez, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School and expert on Middle Eastern politics. “The US and Israel feel they hold all the cards, Iran is on its back foot, and they can make these maximalist demands.”

During his first term, Trump withdrew the US from the Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran. His administration resumed negotiations last year in pursuit of a new deal.

Despite escalating rhetoric in recent weeks, former US officials suggest Trump may still prefer to avoid direct military conflict with Iran if negotiations fail.

“I don’t think Trump wants a major military confrontation with Iran going into an election year,” said James Jeffrey, a former US ambassador to Iraq and Turkey. “And I think the Iranians know that.”

The visit also coincides with ongoing discussions between Israel and Hamas regarding the next phase of their ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

A White House spokesperson said Israel “has had no better friend in its history than President Trump”.

“We continue to work closely with our ally Israel to implement President Trump’s historic Gaza peace agreement and to strengthen regional security in the Middle East,” said Anna Kelly, the spokesperson.

Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire last October, ending a two-year conflict that began with the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack inside Israel. Around 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage during the assault. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has resulted in more than 71,000 deaths, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.

Both sides have accused each other of repeated violations of the truce since its first phase began.

Progress toward the second phase of the ceasefire — which предусматриes the disarmament of Hamas, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the reconstruction of the territory — has remained limited.