US President Donald Trump has assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he will hold firm on his demand for the dismantling of Iran's nuclear programme as a condition in any final agreement with Tehran, a senior Israeli official told AFP.
"President Trump made clear that he will remain steadfast in the negotiations regarding his longstanding demand for the dismantlement of Iran's nuclear programme and the removal of all enriched uranium from Iranian territory, and that he will not sign a final agreement absent these conditions," the official said on Sunday, referring to a conversation between the two leaders on Saturday night.
But Iran's Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported that Iran made no commitments regarding its nuclear programme.
This came after Trump on Saturday said an agreement with Iran to end the war was "largely negotiated" and awaited finalisation, following Pakistani army chief Asim Munir's visit to Tehran, his second in recent weeks.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Saturday that the nuclear issue was not part of an initial framework. It will rather be "subject to separate discussions" at a later stage.
Experts have warned that Israel, which triggered the Iran war, would act like a spoiler, a political actor who is trying to make things more chaotic to prevent the realisation of a smooth negotiation ground.
Earlier, the Israeli media reported that Netanyahu expressed concern over the US administration’s handling of Iran's nuclear file during a phone call with Trump.
Lebanon
Netanyahu also voiced worries over a possible linkage of a ceasefire in Lebanon and a potential US-Iran agreement, Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported, citing an informed Israeli source.
Tasnim reported that "a memorandum of understanding (MOU) would first be announced, stressing an end to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon."
"Under the arrangement, Israel, as a US ally, would also be expected to halt the war in Lebanon," it added.
Tasnim reported that "a memorandum of understanding (MOU) would first be announced, stressing an end to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon."
"Under the arrangement, Israel, as a US ally, would also be expected to halt the war in Lebanon," it added.
Iranian media also reported that Tehran intends first to draft a memorandum of understanding, a kind of framework agreement, before a final deal is reached within 30 to 60 days.
Netanyahu and the Israeli security establishment believe that "the Iranians are stalling to buy time, and that Tehran will announce its unwillingness to make concessions after 60 days," a security source told Reuters.
In a related development, the Israeli Security Cabinet is set to convene Sunday evening amid reports of progress in negotiations between Washington and Tehran, KAN added.
Citing a statement from Netanyahu's office, the broadcaster said Washington keeps Tel Aviv informed about the ongoing negotiations.
Netanyahu, during a conversation Saturday night with Trump, affirmed that Israel "will maintain its freedom of action against threats on all fronts, including Lebanon", the statement said.
Channel 12 quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying that the emerging agreement between Washington and Tehran is "bad".
It sends a message that the Strait of Hormuz is "a weapon in Iran's hands no less effective than a nuclear weapon", the source told the channel.
Iran's Fars news agency said the draft stipulates that the US and its allies will not attack Iran or its allies, and in return, Iran pledges not to launch preemptive attacks on them.
Israeli politician Benny Gantz said it would be a strategic mistake for Israel to accept a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Tel Aviv continues to carry out bombings despite a truce.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that a call with Netanyahu had gone "very well".
