‘Israel Wouldn't Be Around for Two Hours’: Trump Defends Iran Deal, Calls Netanyahu ‘A Very Difficult Guy’

A proposed agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at ending hostilities and shaping the future of Tehran's nuclear programme is expected to be signed in Switzerland on June 19. As details of the deal emerge, US President Donald Trump has revealed sharp disagreements with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming Israeli actions during the conflict complicated efforts to reach the accord.

Trump Says Israeli Actions Threatened Diplomacy

In remarks made during a phone interview with The New York Times, Trump alleged that an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon's capital, Beirut, delayed progress towards the agreement between Washington and Tehran.

The US president also offered an unusually blunt assessment of Netanyahu's role during the negotiations.

"He's a very difficult guy," the US leader said of Netanyahu during a phone interview with The New York Times.

Trump argued that Israel had benefited significantly from Washington's efforts to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

"And to be honest with you, he should be very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn't be around for two hours," he added.

What The US-Iran Agreement Seeks To Achieve

The proposed deal, according to both the United States and Iran, would bring an "immediate and permanent" end to military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. It is also expected to establish guidelines for the future of Iran's nuclear programme and facilitate the reopening of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump claimed that the memorandum of understanding reached with Tehran would ensure that the key maritime route remains "permanently toll-free".

The agreement, however, may prove difficult for Israel to accept. The country has not participated in the negotiations and did not immediately respond to reports surrounding the emerging US-Iran arrangement.

Trump Issues Warning Over Nuclear Deadline

While presenting the deal as a pathway to stability, Trump also warned of consequences if Iran's leadership failed to finalise a nuclear accord within the timeframe set out in the agreement.

He told the newspaper that the United States could resume military strikes against Iran if Tehran failed to comply. Trump also floated the possibility of Washington becoming "the guardian of the Middle East" in exchange for 20 per cent of the region's revenues.

When asked whether key American partners in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, had agreed to such an arrangement, Trump did not directly answer the question, saying only that discussions on the matter had recently begun.

"It would only happen," he suggested, "if Iran remained an adversary."

Israel's Concerns And Trump's Changing Tone On Tehran

Reports have suggested that Netanyahu faces domestic political pressures that may encourage the continuation of conflict with Iran and its regional allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Trump's latest comments also signal a notable shift in his public stance towards Iran's leadership. He described the current leadership in Tehran, including the country's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, as pragmatists.

The characterisation stands in contrast to the rhetoric Trump employed at the outset of the conflict, when he urged Iranians to rise against their government after American and Israeli military operations had concluded. His latest remarks indicate a more conciliatory tone as diplomatic efforts move towards a possible agreement.