Trump warns Netanyahu not to attack Iran

2025-05-28 21:14:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US President Donald Trump said he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to attack Iran, as the American leader expressed optimism about the nuclear talks his administration is holding with Tehran.

Iran said it could consider allowing Americans to inspect its nuclear facilities as part of a United Nations nuclear watchdog team if a deal is reached.

Trump was asked if he told Netanyahu during his phone call not to take any action that would hinder diplomacy. The US leader replied: "To be honest, I told him."

Asked again by reporters what he said to the Israeli prime minister, Trump replied: "I told him I don't think it's appropriate, we're having very good discussions with them."

The American leader added that "I told him it would not be appropriate to do this now because we are very close to a solution."

"I think they will reach an agreement and if we reach an agreement a lot of lives will be saved."

Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks focused on nuclear issues in recent weeks. These are the highest-level contacts since Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal that Iran reached with world powers in 2018.

During a visit to Qatar earlier in May, Trump expressed optimism about reaching a deal with Iran that would avoid a military confrontation.

Israel sees Iran as its main enemy. Israel has repeatedly threatened to strike Tehran's nuclear facilities, and the two sides exchanged attacks last year.

Iran denies Western accusations that it aims to create nuclear weapons, insisting that its program has peaceful and civilian purposes.

After Trump withdrew the US from the nuclear deal in 2018, Washington imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic that include a ban on all countries buying Iranian oil.

On the other hand, Iran began to violate the principles of the agreement and enrich uranium beyond the limits set in the nuclear deal.

While welcoming negotiations with Washington, Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that uranium enrichment is “a non-negotiable issue.” The US insists that Iran will not be allowed to enrich uranium even at low levels for civilian purposes, as was permitted under the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent — the highest level of enrichment by any non-nuclear weapons state. However, Tehran is above 90 percent enrichment, not enough for a nuclear weapon but far above the 3.67 percent limit set in the 2015 nuclear deal./ Rel