Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday in Washington, where the two leaders will discuss negotiations with Iran, Netanyahu’s office announced on Saturday.
The meeting comes shortly after indirect nuclear talks between Iranian and U.S. officials in Muscat, Oman on Friday. Both sides said additional discussions are expected soon.
A regional diplomat briefed by Tehran told Reuters that Iran insisted on its “right to enrich uranium” during the talks, and that Tehran’s missile capabilities were not part of the discussions. Iranian officials have consistently refused to include missiles — one of the largest arsenals in the Middle East — in negotiations, seeking only recognition of their nuclear enrichment rights.
Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister believes any negotiations must include limits on ballistic missiles and a halt to support for the so-called Iranian axis.
Wednesday’s meeting will mark the seventh time Netanyahu and Trump have met since the U.S. president returned to office in January last year. Originally scheduled for February 18, the meeting was moved up amid renewed engagement with Iran.
Last June, the U.S. participated in an Israeli military campaign targeting Iran’s uranium enrichment and other nuclear facilities, the most direct American military action ever against Tehran. Iran retaliated with a missile strike on a U.S. base in Qatar.
Both the U.S. and Israel have warned Iran that further nuclear or ballistic missile developments could trigger additional strikes. Regional powers fear that a breakdown in talks could ignite a wider conflict across the oil-rich Middle East.
Iran has promised a harsh response to any attack and cautioned neighboring Gulf Arab countries hosting U.S. bases that they could be targeted if involved in military action.