Trump ‘insists’ to Netanyahu that he will continue nuclear talks with Iran

US President Donald Trump held talks with Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss renewed US nuclear talks with Iran, and said he told the Israeli prime minister that negotiations with Tehran would continue to see if a deal could be reached.

Netanyahu had been expected to push for Trump to ‌widen talks with Iran beyond its nuclear programme to include limits on Tehran’s missile arsenal and other security threats.

In their seventh meeting since Trump returned to office last year, Netanyahu – whose visit was more muted than usual and closed to the press – was looking to influence the next round of US discussions with Iran following nuclear negotiations held in Oman last Friday. The two leaders met for nearly three hours.

Trump has threatened strikes on Iran if no agreement ⁠is reached, while Tehran has vowed to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war. He has repeatedly voiced support for a secure ‌Israel, a long-standing US ally and arch-foe of Iran.

In media interviews on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his warning, saying that while he believes Iran wants a deal, he would do “something very tough” if it ‌refused.

“There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether ⁠or not a Deal can be ⁠consummated,” Trump said in a social media post after the meeting with Netanyahu. “If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference.”