The talks between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House witnessed faltering in resolving the course of dealing with Iran, despite the threat of a military option and the idea of ​​a new nuclear agreement without missiles. The summit also discussed the Gaza plan and the ceasefire, amid clear disagreement over the future of the Palestinian state and Israeli concern about Tehran rebuilding its capabilities after the recent attacks.

Published on: 02/12/2026 - 05:47

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US President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday, following his talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that the meeting did not lead to a final decision on how to deal with the Iranian file, but he stressed that the negotiation process with Tehran will continue to explore the possibility of reaching an agreement.

According to previous diplomatic estimates, it was believed that Netanyahu would push Trump to expand the framework of discussions with Iran to include restrictions on its missile arsenal in addition to its nuclear program. During the meeting, Netanyahu spoke at length about the priority of Israeli security interests, but there was no indication that the American president made the pledges he sought.

In the seventh meeting between the two men since Trump returned to the White House about 13 months ago, Netanyahu tried to influence the next round of talks between Washington and Tehran, which come after the nuclear negotiations hosted by Oman last Friday in light of escalating tension across the Middle East.

Netanyahu's visit to the White House this time took place in a less noisy atmosphere than his previous visits, as he did not organize any open meeting with journalists.

The meeting between the two leaders lasted approximately three hours, and Trump described it as “very good,” but at the same time he acknowledged that no fundamental decisions were taken during it.

Trump continues to threaten to use military force against Iran if an agreement is not concluded, while Tehran threatens to respond to any attack, which fuels fears that the region will slide into a wider war. Trump is constantly keen to demonstrate his commitment to the security of Israel, the most prominent ally of the United States in the Middle East and the main opponent of Iran.

Read also: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington...a visit for strategic coordination?

In a series of media interviews on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his warnings, explaining that he believes Tehran is seeking to reach an agreement, but in return he stressed his intention to do “something very tough” if Iran refuses.

On the Truth Social platform, Trump wrote today after his meeting with Netanyahu that “no decisive decision could be reached other than my insistence on continuing negotiations with Iran to see the possibility of concluding an agreement.”

He continued, saying, "If this is possible, I will inform the Prime Minister that this would be a preferred option."

He then went on to add, "If that is not possible, we will just have to see what the outcome will be," recalling that the United States launched an attack last June on Iranian nuclear sites when Tehran decided not to reach an agreement the previous time.

Trump: No nuclear weapons or Iranian missiles

In an interview with Fox Business, Trump explained that what he considers a good agreement with Iran means “no nuclear weapons, no missiles,” without providing additional details. He also told Axios that he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier group as part of the large US military reinforcements near Iran.

According to informed sources, Israel is deeply concerned about the possibility that the United States may seek to conclude a limited nuclear agreement that does not impose restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile program, nor does it end Tehran’s support for armed groups loyal to it or allied with it, such as the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Lebanese Hezbollah. From this standpoint, Israeli officials urged Washington not to rely on Iranian promises.

As for Tehran, it confirms its rejection of these conditions, and says that Friday’s talks focused exclusively on the nuclear file.

A statement issued by Netanyahu's office following Wednesday's meeting said, "The Prime Minister stressed the security needs of the State of Israel in the context of the negotiations, and the two parties agreed to continue close coordination and communication."

One source indicated that the two leaders may have discussed during the discussion the possibility of resorting to military action if diplomacy between the United States and Iran failed.

Iran, for its part, says that it is ready to consider imposing restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions, but it categorically refuses to link this issue to its missile capabilities.

Ali Shamkhani, advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader, stressed on Wednesday that “the Islamic Republic’s missile capabilities are not negotiable.”

Gaza is on the agenda

The agenda of the discussions also included the Gaza file, as Trump seeks to advance the ceasefire agreement that he helped formulate. However, progress on his 20-item plan to end the war and rebuild the devastated Palestinian Strip is still stalled, amid ongoing disagreements over items such as disarming Hamas in parallel with the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Following the meeting, Trump stated that "the significant progress made in Gaza, and in the region generally" was also part of the discussion.

The date of Netanyahu's visit, which was scheduled for February 18, was brought forward to coincide with the resumption of negotiations between the United States and Iran. During the meeting hosted by the Sultanate of Oman last week, the two parties confirmed that the atmosphere of the discussions was positive, and that they expect to hold additional rounds soon.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed before the Amman meeting that the negotiations should address Iran's missiles and groups allied with them, as well as the way the Iranian government deals with its citizens.

Trump's position appeared cautious about expanding the scope of negotiations, as he was quoted as saying to Axios on Tuesday that it is self-evident that any agreement would include the Iranian nuclear program, but at the same time he believes that it is possible to address the Iranian missile stockpile.

Iran insists that its nuclear activities are of a peaceful nature, while the United States and Israel accuse it of having previously attempted to develop nuclear weapons.

France 24/Reuters

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