Trump Urges Netanyahu to Hold Back on Iran Response, Prioritizes Diplomatic Path

President Donald Trump has made a direct appeal to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid striking Iran in response to recent Iranian missile attacks, marking a significant diplomatic intervention aimed at preventing further regional escalation.

According to reporting by journalist Barak Ravid on Axios, a senior American official and an Israeli source confirmed details of a Sunday phone conversation between the two leaders. Trump conveyed that the United States believes it is close to reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran and requested that Netanyahu refrain from retaliation to allow negotiations additional time to progress.

"The President informed Netanyahu that we are close to reaching an agreement, and asked him to give the negotiations a few additional days and not obstruct them," the American official stated.

The Israeli prime minister initially pushed back against the American position during the call, attempting to persuade Trump to support a military response. However, Netanyahu ultimately agreed to wait, though the official characterized this as only "partial" acceptance of Trump's request.

The conversation stood in marked contrast to a tense exchange between the two leaders the previous week. This time, according to the American official, Trump maintained a measured tone throughout the discussion rather than raising his voice.

"We believe that the president has bought some additional time. He is convinced that we are close to an agreement with Iran, and we do not believe that there is an imminent Israeli strike in the near term," the official explained.

Trump emphasized the duration of the current conflict, stating that "the president believes that this war has been going on for more than 3 months, and it is time to move forward and end it."

The American official also addressed the sequence of recent military actions, revealing that the White House had not authorized the Israeli operation in Beirut that preceded Iran's missile response. "We were not part of this event," the official said.

Before the call with Netanyahu, Trump had made public remarks carried by Israeli Channel 12 signaling his intention to discourage Israeli retaliation. He noted that the Iranian attack "did not hurt anyone" and warned of endless cycles of escalation. "If Bibi attacks them again, the matter will continue as it has been for the past 47 years, or for the past 3,000 years," Trump said.

The president expressed optimism about nuclear negotiations, describing a prospective agreement as "good" while expressing concern that current tensions could derail progress. "We are very close to a final agreement with Iran. It will be a good agreement, and I do not want it to collapse because of what is happening now," he stated.

Trump concluded his remarks by summarizing his approach: "I will call Bibi now and ask him not to respond. Each party did what it had to do. Israel carried out its attack and Iran carried out its attack. We do not need another round."

The American administration's stance reflects a deliberate strategy to contain regional conflict while nuclear negotiations remain at a delicate stage, with the outcome potentially shaping the broader geopolitical landscape in the Middle East.