Washington: US President Donald Trump has asked Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate to Iran’s latest barrage of missiles, saying it would jeopardise the ongoing negotiations for a peace deal to end the three-month long conflict.
US media outlet Axios reported that after Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday, Trump spoke to Netanyahu in a bid to prevent fresh tensions between the two nations from derailing the peace deal.
Trump also asked Iran to return to the negotiating table.
“You’ve shot your missiles, that’s enough. Get back to the table and make a deal,” Trump said, referring to Iran’s strikes at Israel.
Trump downplayed the impact of Iran’s missile attack and expressed hope that Israel would avoid further escalation.
“The Iranian strikes didn’t hurt anybody. Hopefully Israel is not going to retaliate,” Trump told Axios.
“If Bibi strikes them back, it’s just going to keep going like the last 47 years, or the last 3,000 years,” he said.
Emphasising that Washington was close to finalising an agreement, Trump cautioned that renewed tensions risked undermining diplomatic progress.
“Each of them had their fun. Israel had its strike, and Iran had its strike. We don’t need another one,” Trump said.
In an interview with Financial Times, Trump said Netanyahu would likely have to accept any agreement reached between Washington and Tehran.
“He won’t have any choice,” Trump said of Netanyahu, asserting that he “calls the shots”.
The interview was published as Iran launched missiles at Israel in its first attack since a ceasefire took effect in April.
Trump also criticised Israel’s strikes on Beirut on Sunday, saying he was “not happy about it”.
Axios, citing a US official, reported that Trump told Netanyahu during their call to hold back because “we are close to doing something good in terms of a deal”.
While Netanyahu reportedly pushed back, the official said he ultimately “pseudo agreed” to stand down.
The call was described as calmer than last week’s reportedly tense exchange between the two leaders, with Trump not raising his voice on this occasion.
