Trump, Netanyahu to meet at White House in high-stakes talks on Iran, Gaza plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu volition conscionable President Donald Trump astatine the White House connected Wednesday successful a sojourn expected to halfway connected Iran, arsenic Washington weighs diplomacy against the menace of subject enactment and Israel pushes to signifier the scope of negotiations.

Trump has signaled the Iranian record volition predominate the agenda. In a telephone interrogation with Axios, the president said Tehran "very overmuch wants to scope a deal," but warned, "Either we marque a deal, oregon we’ll person to bash thing precise pugnacious — similar past time."

Netanyahu, speaking earlier departing Israel for Washington, said helium intends to present Israel’s position. "I volition contiguous to the president our conception regarding the principles of the negotiations — the indispensable principles that are important not lone to Israel but to anyone who wants bid and information successful the Middle East," helium told reporters.

IRAN PUSHES FOR FRIDAY NUCLEAR TALKS IN OMAN AMID RISING TENSIONS WITH US FORCES: SOURCE

US President Donald Trump (R) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) upon accomplishment astatine Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence successful Palm Beach, Florida, connected December 29, 2025.  (Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)

The gathering comes days aft U.S. and Iranian officials resumed talks successful Oman for the archetypal clip since past summer’s 12-day war, portion the United States continues to support a important subject beingness successful the Gulf — a posture wide viewed arsenic some deterrence and for holding leverage successful negotiations with Tehran.

From the U.S. perspective, Iran is seen arsenic a planetary information situation alternatively than a determination one, according to Jacob Olidort, main probe serviceman and manager of American information astatine the America First Policy Institute. "It’s an important historical clip of perchance seismic proportions," helium told Fox News Digital.

"Iran is not truthful overmuch a Middle East issue. It’s a planetary contented affecting U.S. interests astir the world," helium added, calling the authorities "probably the world’s oldest planetary panic network… [with] thousands of Americans killed done proxies."

Olidort said the administration’s strategy appears to harvester diplomacy with disposable subject pressure. "The president has been clear… should talks not beryllium successful, the subject enactment cannot beryllium disconnected the table," helium said. "Military assets successful the portion service arsenic portion of the dialog strategy with Iran."

Iranians stitchery portion blocking a thoroughfare during a protestation successful Tehran, Iran connected Jan. 9, 2026.   (MAHSA / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

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For Israel, the main interest is not lone Iran’s atomic programme but besides its ballistic rocket arsenal and determination web of equipped groups.

Trump indicated to Axios that the United States shares astatine slightest portion of that view, saying immoderate statement would request to code not only nuclear issues but besides Iran’s ballistic missiles. 

Israeli quality adept Sima Shein has warned that negotiations narrowly focused connected atomic restrictions could permission Israel exposed. "The sojourn signals a deficiency of assurance that American envoys, Witkoff and Kushner, unsocial tin correspond Israel’s interests successful the champion way. They were successful Israel conscionable a week agone — but Netanyahu wants to talk straight with Trump, truthful determination is nary ambiguity astir Israel’s position," she added.

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei makes archetypal nationalist quality successful weeks with caller U.S. threats. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader Credit/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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Shein says Iran whitethorn beryllium stalling diplomatically to spot whether Washington limits talks to atomic issues portion avoiding rocket constraints. Her investigation further suggests that a sanctions-relief statement that leaves Iran’s broader capabilities intact could stabilize the authorities astatine a infinitesimal of interior unit portion preserving its subject leverage. 

"An statement present would efficaciously prevention the authorities astatine a clip erstwhile it has nary existent solutions to its interior problems. Lifting sanctions done a woody would springiness it breathing country and assistance stabilize it," she said.

"If determination is an agreement, the United States indispensable request the merchandise of each detainees and importune connected humanitarian measures, including aesculapian enactment for those who person been severely injured. Washington would request to beryllium straight progressive successful enforcing those provisions."

IRAN DRAWS MISSILE RED LINE AS ANALYSTS WARN TEHRAN IS STALLING US TALKS

Troops from the Givati Brigade, nether the bid of the 162nd Division, are operating successful the country of Jabaliya successful the bluish Gaza Strip arsenic portion of Operation "Gideon’s Chariots". (IDF Spokesman's Unit)

Netanyahu said earlier leaving Israel that helium and Trump would sermon "a bid of topics," including Gaza, wherever a U.S.-backed postwar model and ceasefire implementation stay stalled. 

According to Israeli reporting, Netanyahu plans to archer Trump that signifier 2 of the Gaza bid program "is not moving," reflecting continued disputes implicit disarmament, governance and information arrangements.

The timing of Netanyahu’s sojourn whitethorn besides let him to debar returning to Washington the pursuing week for the inaugural league of the Board of Peace, Shein said, noting the inaugural is arguable successful Israel’s parliament. 

Hamas terrorists basal successful enactment arsenic Palestinians stitchery connected a thoroughfare to ticker the handover of 3 Israeli hostages to a Red Cross squad successful Deir el-Balah, cardinal Gaza, connected Feb. 8, 2025.  (Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"Israel is profoundly acrophobic astir the beingness of Turkey and Qatar connected the committee of bid and their malign power connected different members arsenic good arsenic connected the Palestinian authority's technocratic government," Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, told Fox News Digital.

"Hamas’s power of Gaza has not weakened, portion planetary commitments to disarm Hamas person appeared to weaken," helium added, "The longer the U.S. waits earlier taking enactment against the Iranian regime, the much compromised Israel is successful its quality and determination to forcibly disarm Hamas, some of which necessitate the authorisation and the blessing of the caller planetary structures connected Gaza."

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"The premier minister’s heavy interest is the stalled authorities of affairs some against the Iranian authorities and seemingly successful Gaza. Timing is captious connected some fronts. And for Israel, the model seems to beryllium closing," Diker said.