While the Trump administration is trying to negotiate a nuclear agreement with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has threatened to upset talks by hitting the main Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, according to officials informed of the situation.
The confrontation on the best way to ensure that Iran cannot produce a nuclear weapon has led to at least a tense phone call between President Trump and Mr. Netanyahu and a wave of meetings in recent days between senior administration officials and senior Israeli officials.
Trump said on Sunday that there could be “something good” about his efforts to limit Iran’s nuclear program in the “next two days”.
Other members of the negotiations said that the best there would be a declaration of certain common principles. The details under discussion remain closely held and probably do not prepare the way for new negotiations, starting with if Iran could continue to enrich uranium at any level, and how it would dilute its almost background fuel stocks or ship them from the country.
The New York Times reported In April, Israel had planned to strike Iranian nuclear sites this month, but was agitated by Mr. Trump, who wanted to continue to negotiate with Tehran. Mr. Netanyahu, however, continued to put pressure on military action without American aid.
Israel does not participate in negotiations between the United States and Iran. At the heart of the tension between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Trump is their different point of view on the best way to exploit a moment of Iranian weakness.
