Did Trump tell Netanyahu he’d back Israeli strikes on Iran? What we know

US President Donald Trump, during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in December, assured that the US would support Israeli strikes on Iran, should the US not reach a deal with Iran on the regime's nuclear programme, US news outlet CBS News reported.

Citing two sources familiar with the matter, the report said that two months after the meeting, the discussions between the US military's senior figures and the intelligence community had begun to assess the possibilities of an Israeli strike on Iran.




The two nations share their stance against Iran's nuclear ballistic missile programme.

Netanyahu, on Monday, affirmed Israel's stance about Iran's nuclear programme, stating the deal between the US and Iran must include a complete dismantling of the nuclear infrastructure.

He said, "If a deal is to be reached, it must include several key components; The first is that all enriched material has to leave Iran. The second is that there should be no enrichment capability- not stopping the enrichment process, but dismantling the equipment and the infrastructure that allows you to enrich in the first place.

According to the report, the United States shall not be interfering much with how Israel acts. Rather, Washington will assist Israel with mid-air refuelling and obtain overflight permissions from countries along Israel's potential routes.

This becomes important as Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, have publicly denied providing an airspace used for any strikes on Iran. Thus, it remains unclear which country will provide airspace for strike and refuelling purposes.

This comes as Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, departed for Switzerland on Sunday for a second round of renewed talks with the United States later this week.

Washington has kept up the pressure, with a new executive order imposing tariffs on countries trading with Iran taking effect, with additional sanctions targeting shipping firms and vessels tied to Iranian oil exports.

Alongside, the US is also increasing its military presence in the Gulf, as most recently, Trump ordered the world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R Ford, along with its USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, to join the "armada" in the Middle East.

Iran has made its stance clear that it shall not give up its uranium enrichment. Addressing a forum in Tehran on February 8, Araghchi said Iran had “paid a very heavy price” for what it maintains is a peaceful nuclear programme.

“Why do we insist so much on enrichment and refuse to give it up even if a war is imposed on us? Because no one has the right to dictate our behaviour,” he said.

Tehran and Washington resumed negotiations in Muscat on February 6, months after earlier talks collapsed following Israel’s unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran last June, which triggered a 12-day war.