- Netanyahu Iran deal remarks mark the first time the Israeli Prime Minister has publicly expressed hope that diplomacy could avert military conflict with Tehran.
- Netanyahu said President Donald Trump may be creating the right conditions for a “good deal” with Iran.
- Israel insists any agreement must halt Iran’s nuclear program and limit ballistic missiles and regional proxies.
- The seventh Trump–Netanyahu meeting comes ahead of renewed U.S.–Iran negotiations following talks in Oman.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump was creating the right conditions for a diplomatic agreement with Iran that could avert military confrontation — marking the first time the long-time Israeli leader has publicly expressed such optimism about a potential deal.
Speaking after a closed-door meeting with Trump in Washington, Netanyahu struck a notably cautious but constructive tone, even as he reiterated Israel’s longstanding scepticism toward Tehran’s intentions.
“The President believes that the Iranians have already learned who they are dealing with,” Netanyahu said. “I think that the conditions he is creating, combined with the fact that they surely understand they made a mistake last time by not reaching an agreement, may create the circumstances for achieving a good deal.”
His remarks signal a subtle shift in emphasis from previous Israeli positions, which have often warned that negotiations risk empowering Iran unless backed by overwhelming pressure. Netanyahu made clear that while he remains wary, he sees an opening if strict conditions are met.
“I expressed general scepticism,” he said, adding that if an agreement were reached, “it must include the elements that are very important to Israel.”
Those elements, he said, include a complete halt to Iran’s nuclear programme, meaningful limits on its ballistic missile development, and restrictions on Tehran’s network of regional proxy groups.
The comments followed Wednesday’s meeting at the White House — the seventh between Trump and Netanyahu since the U.S. president returned to office last year. Unlike many of their past encounters, the visit was unusually subdued and closed to the press, reflecting the sensitivity surrounding the renewed U.S.-Iran diplomatic track.
The two leaders spoke privately for more than two-and-a-half hours. Trump later described the talks as a “very good meeting,” but said no major decisions had been finalized.
Netanyahu’s visit came as Washington prepares for the next round of indirect discussions with Iran following nuclear negotiations held in Oman last Friday. Diplomatic efforts have intensified in recent weeks amid rising regional tensions and mounting concerns about Tehran’s expanding uranium enrichment activities.
While Trump has signaled that diplomacy remains his preferred route, he has also repeatedly warned that military options remain on the table if negotiations fail. Netanyahu, who has historically championed a hardline approach toward Iran, appeared to calibrate his message carefully — balancing caution with conditional support for diplomacy.
“We have a very close, very genuine, and very open relationship,” Netanyahu said of Trump, noting that their discussions covered multiple issues but were primarily focused on Iran. “He wanted to hear my opinion.”
Analysts say Netanyahu’s public acknowledgement that diplomatic conditions may now be favorable is significant. In the past, he has often been among the most vocal critics of nuclear agreements with Iran, arguing that earlier deals did not sufficiently curb Tehran’s long-term capabilities or its regional influence.
By framing Trump’s approach as one that may “create the circumstances for achieving a good deal,” Netanyahu appears to be signaling confidence in the U.S. president’s negotiating leverage while still insisting on firm safeguards.
The inclusion of ballistic missile restrictions and limits on Iran-backed militias — such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and other groups across Syria, Iraq, and Yemen — underscores Israel’s broader security concerns beyond the nuclear file. Israeli officials have long argued that any agreement narrowly focused on uranium enrichment would fail to address what they see as the full spectrum of threats posed by Iran.
Trump, for his part, has not publicly endorsed Israel’s specific conditions. After the meeting, he stopped short of announcing any breakthroughs or adopting Netanyahu’s demands outright, maintaining that discussions are ongoing.
Diplomatic observers say the coming weeks will test whether Washington can translate renewed dialogue into concrete concessions from Tehran while reassuring regional allies that their security concerns will not be sidelined.
For now, Netanyahu’s remarks represent a rare moment of guarded optimism from an Israeli leader who has frequently warned of the dangers of engaging Iran diplomatically. Whether that optimism proves justified will depend on the substance of any emerging agreement — and whether it meets what he called the “very important” criteria for Israel’s security.