Israel: "The Americans Didn’t Surprise Us"—Netanyahu in Near-Daily Talks With Trump on Iran

Reuters reported today (Wednesday) that an Israeli official said Israel was not aware of the emerging deal between Washington and Tehran. However, he said, Israel continues to make operational preparations for continued fighting across all fronts, maintaining a high level of readiness for any scenario.

By contrast, a political source addressed the reports and claimed that "The Americans did not surprise us." According to him, "Prime Minister Netanyahu is in continuous contact with President Trump, and they hold almost daily conversations. There is direct contact between the prime minister's staff and the president's staff." He added that "It was made clear to us from the conversations that President Trump is standing by his red lines, first and foremost the removal of the nuclear material. The prime minister instructed the IDF to be prepared for any scenario, including a return to fighting if required."

In the regional arena, Qatar's prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, referred to the contacts between the sides and said that "The possibility of reaching a diplomatic solution is high; there has been positive progress in the exchange of messages between Washington and Tehran. Any agreement must take into account the interests of the countries of the region and of the entire world." He added that "The whole world is paying the price for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. We reject using it as a pressure card in any conflict. Our sovereignty is a red line that cannot be compromised, and with Iran a formula for coexistence must be found based on good-neighborly relations and not harming the security of any side."

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump answered reporters' question about whether the uranium might be transferred to the United States, and replied: "Not maybe. It's going to the United States."

Earlier, Trump confirmed that there had been progress in the talks with Iran. In a post he published on the social network Truth Social, he wrote: "Assuming Iran agrees to give what it agreed to give—a big assumption—the legendary Epic Rage operation will end and the blockade will allow the Strait of Hormuz to be open to everyone, including Iran. If they do not agree, the bombings will begin, and unfortunately they will be at a much higher level than before."