admin US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said there have been good talks with Iran even as he reiterated his threats to target Pickaxe Mountain as well as bridges and power plants if a deal is not made with Tehran.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he wanted to avoid targeting Iran’s bridges and power plants if possible. “It’s a very, very delicate balance. So I think we have a very strong position right now. They know I’m going to do that if they don’t make a deal,” Trump told the “Fox and Friends” program. “We cannot have them break deals anymore.” “We have had some very good talks,” Trump said of Iran.
‘TRUMP’S IRRITATION WITH NETHANYAHU’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House on Tuesday for his first in-person talks with Trump since the Iran war began, as the leaders sought to patch over public disagreements on the conflict.
The meeting — which took place behind closed doors — was expected to be dominated by the war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February but has seen a recent pause in the fighting as Washington says it wants to give negotiations a chance.
The talks — which the White House described as “positive and productive” — lasted for about an hour and a half.
Earlier, Trump voiced irritation with Netanyahu ahead of their White House meeting, complaining that details of the Israeli prime minister’s planned talking points on Iran had surfaced publicly, in a fresh sign of strain between the two leaders.
Asked about reports that Netanyahu wanted to talk to him about Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified facility buried deep underground near one of Iran’s main nuclear sites, Trump said, using Netanyahu’s nickname, “I don’t need Bibi to tell me that. Bibi’s telling me that because he wants me to stay involved.”
“Why don’t you just tell it to me? Why do you have to announce it to the world?” Trump said in an interview with “Fox & Friends.” The New York Post reported on Monday, citing a source in Jerusalem, that Netanyahu was expected to provide intelligence to Trump that Iran is building up its nuclear facilities at Pickaxe Mountain and is lying about wanting a peace deal.
PHOTOS DEPICT TRUMP, NETANYAHU SMILING
But photos posted by Netanyahu’s office on X showed the two leaders sitting beside each other in the Oval Office with wide smiles.
Benjamin Netanyahu poses for a picture with Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House. AFP
They were joined by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Trump met Netanyahu after first having brief closed-door talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt described both meetings as “positive an
NETANYAHU SEEKS TRUMP’S SUPPORT FOR REELECTION
Netanyahu has run hot and cold with Trump, who at times has had to rein in the Israeli leader from attacking targets in Lebanon to try to weaken Iran-backed Hizbollah group.
An acrimonious phone call in June in which the president called the prime minister “fucking crazy”, first leaked to the media and later publicly confirmed by Trump himself, laid bare the strains between the two leaders. Sources familiar with the matter said Netanyahu aims to get Trump’s support for his reelection campaign ahead of an October 27 vote.
A meeting with Trump that showcases what has traditionally been a close relationship between the two leaders could help Netanyahu at home where he is struggling in the opinion polls.
Reuters
