President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clashed sharply over Iran negotiations during a tense Tuesday call, with tensions running so high that one source said Netanyahu's "hair was on fire" after hanging up.
The friction centers on a revised peace proposal being circulated by Qatar and Pakistan, working alongside Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt. The new draft attempts to bridge gaps between Washington and Tehran that have stalled earlier talks. Trump has signaled openness to a deal but remains prepared to order military action if negotiations fail, while Netanyahu is deeply skeptical of any agreement that doesn't further cripple Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure.
During the call, Trump outlined a potential framework to Netanyahu: a "letter of intent" that both the U.S. and Iran would sign to formally end hostilities and open a 30-day negotiation window on nuclear issues and control of the Strait of Hormuz. Israeli sources confirmed that the two leaders disagreed fundamentally over how to proceed. An Israeli source familiar with Netanyahu's reaction described his concern as severe enough that Israel's Washington ambassador briefed U.S. lawmakers on the prime minister's distress. An Israeli embassy spokesperson denied the characterization, saying the ambassador does not comment on private conversations.
The stakes for Netanyahu are existential. He views negotiations as a distraction from military objectives and wants to resume full-scale operations to degrade Iran's capabilities and destabilize the regime through strikes on infrastructure. Trump, by contrast, remains publicly optimistic about diplomacy while keeping the military option visible. "The only question is do we go and finish it up or are they gonna be signing a document," he said Wednesday at the Coast Guard Academy. He also suggested Netanyahu would ultimately follow his lead: "He will do whatever I want him to do."
Behind the scenes, mediators have been working frantically to revise terms. Qatar recently presented both the U.S. and Iran with a new draft, though some sources indicate Qatar is primarily refining Pakistan's earlier proposal rather than presenting a wholly separate document. Pakistan's interior minister traveled to Tehran this week for talks with Iranian officials, marking his second visit in less than a week. A Qatari delegation also made its way to the Iranian capital to discuss the latest version.
The revised proposal aims for two specific breakthroughs: more concrete Iranian commitments on nuclear safeguards and clearer U.S. terms on how frozen Iranian assets would be released in phases. An Arab official involved in the mediation acknowledged that achieving either remains uncertain. Sources stressed that it is unclear whether Iran will shift significantly from its existing positions or embrace the new draft at all.
Iran's foreign ministry confirmed it is reviewing the updated proposal but has shown no flexibility so far. The ministry stated that talks are proceeding "based on Iran's 14-point proposal" and underscored that successful negotiations depend on the U.S. halting what it calls "piracy" against Iranian shipping and unfreezing assets, while Israel ends military operations in Lebanon.
Netanyahu's skepticism about negotiations is not new. He expressed similar concerns at previous stages of mediation, even when those efforts ultimately collapsed. One source familiar with his pattern noted simply: "Bibi is always concerned." Yet the two leaders have maintained close coordination on broader war strategy despite these temporary disagreements.
The Israeli prime minister plans to visit Washington in coming weeks to meet directly with Trump, according to an Israeli source. Neither the White House nor Netanyahu's office commented on the reported Tuesday call or the state of negotiations.
Trump continues to publicly hedge his position, emphasizing both his willingness to pursue peace and his readiness for military escalation. The outcome may ultimately depend on whether mediators can craft language both sides can accept before political or military pressures force a choice between the two paths.
Author James Rodriguez: "Netanyahu's fury after that call suggests the mediators are asking him to swallow something he's deeply uncomfortable with, and Trump's insistence he can control the outcome won't sit well with a leader who sees this as his fight."
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