U.S. has ‘almost completely excluded’ Israel from Iran talks, officials say

Trump Sidelines Netanyahu in Iran Peace Talks

The United States has “almost completely excluded” Israel from ongoing negotiations with Iran, Israeli defense officials told The New York Times this week, as a widening rift between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatens to reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics.timesofisrael

A “Prolonged and Dramatic” Call

The fracture burst into public view on Tuesday, when Trump and Netanyahu held what Israeli media described as a “prolonged and dramatic” phone call. During the conversation, Netanyahu pushed for a resumption of military strikes against Iran and expressed deep opposition to the diplomatic track Trump is pursuing, according to reports from CNN, Axios, and The Wall Street Journal.cnn

Trump’s response was blunt. Speaking to reporters afterward, the president said Netanyahu “will do whatever I want him to do” on Iran, a remark that laid bare the power imbalance between the two leaders. On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported only “slight progress” in negotiations with Tehran, while cautioning against overstating the gains.facebook

Diverging Paths from February’s Strikes

The tensions stem from the February 28 joint U.S.-Israeli strike campaign against Iran, which targeted nuclear facilities, missile infrastructure, and regime leadership. Netanyahu had pushed for the operation with maximalist goals: destroying Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and toppling the Islamic Republic. Nearly three months later, none of those objectives have been fully achieved. Iran’s regime remains intact, and its nuclear program, while degraded, has not been eliminated.understandingwar

Trump has since pivoted toward diplomacy. Qatar and Pakistan are mediating a proposed “letter of intent” that both Washington and Tehran would sign, formally ending hostilities and launching a 30-day negotiation period focused on Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Netanyahu was reportedly furious, arguing that easing pressure on Iran was a strategic mistake.axios

Netanyahu’s Weakening Position

The exclusion from talks compounds Netanyahu’s domestic challenges. Israeli elections are set for October 27, and his political rivals — former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid — have formed a joint party called “Together” to challenge him. Polling suggests Netanyahu’s coalition is vulnerable, holding only 50 Knesset seats. As The Forward reported, the prime minister faces “electoral catastrophe” as war-weary Israelis question whether the Iran campaign delivered the promised results.britannica

Trump, meanwhile, has kept the threat of military action alive, stating that strikes could resume “very quickly” if diplomacy fails. But for now, the American president appears determined to claim a diplomatic victory — with or without Israel’s participation.cnn