By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that there was no concrete result from his closed-door meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but said he insisted on further talks with Iran.
"There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the prime minister know that will be a preference," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform after sitting down with Netanyahu for roughly two-and-a-half hours.
"If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible," the US president added.
Trump was referring to strikes he authorized on Iran's nuclear facilities last June. The US and Iran held negotiations last Friday in Oman for the first time since those attacks, and are expected to hold more rounds of talks at a yet undetermined date.
The sit-down marked the end of a roughly eight-month suspension.
Trump described the first round of talks between the US and Iran in Muscat as “very good,” saying Tehran strongly showed its desire to reach a new agreement and that both sides plan to meet again next week.
Iran said the US and Israel fabricate pretexts for military intervention and regime change, warning it will respond to any military attack, even if limited, and insisting on lifting Western economic sanctions in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program.
Uranium enrichment remains a central point of dispute. The US, by contrast, is demanding that Iran halt uranium enrichment and transfer highly enriched uranium out of the country.
Washington has also sought to include Iran’s missile program and its support for armed groups in the region in the negotiations, but Tehran has repeatedly said it will not negotiate issues beyond its nuclear program.
Tension has escalated between Washington and Tehran, fueled by an American military buildup in the Persian Gulf and repeated threats of military action by Trump.
Prior to departing for the US, Netanyahu said he would present Israel’s vision for negotiations with Iran during his meeting with Trump.
“I will present to the president our vision for the principles of the negotiations,” Netanyahu said.
Trump said in his Truth Social post that the leaders also addressed "the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the region in general."
The meeting was the seventh between Trump and Netanyahu since the start of the US president’s second term early last year. Five of the meetings were held in the US and one in Israel.
Netanyahu had planned to visit the US on Feb. 18, but moved the trip up one week in an effort to influence negotiations between Washington and Tehran, according to Israeli media.