Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit United States President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss negotiations with Iran.
Netanyahu’s statement ahead of their next meeting indicates that he is concerned that the U.S. might pursue a narrow nuclear deal with Iran that will not address other Israeli concerns and wants to try to influence the president.
“The prime minister believes that all negotiations must include limiting the ballistic missiles, and ending support for the Iranian axis,” Netanyahu’s office said in a brief statement, referring to Tehran’s support for militant groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories.
The meeting was initially set to take place on 18 February, and it was Netanyahu who requested the earlier meeting, White House officials told Axios.
The last time the two met was in December last year.
The White House hasn’t made an official statement on the matter.
This comes after the U.S. and Iran held indirect talks on Friday in Oman that appeared to return to the starting point on how to approach discussions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Trump said the talks were “very good” and planned more for early next week.
Washington was represented by Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to reach a deal on the nuclear program after sending the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships to the region amid Tehran’s crackdown on nationwide protests that killed thousands.
