Israeli Prime Minister's Office: Netanyahu and Trump to Discuss 'Iran Threat'

Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, April 6, to discuss various topics including Iran. According to a statement from Netanyahu's office released on Saturday evening, the leaders will discuss tariffs, the 'Iran threat,' and the return of hostages during the meeting. The White House has not yet made an official comment regarding the upcoming meeting between Trump and Netanyahu. Bloomberg reported on Saturday that Israel is pessimistic about potential negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, 'but while preparing its military for a possible attack, it is careful not to openly oppose Trump.' A day earlier, Axios reported that Netanyahu sees little chance of a nuclear agreement between the U.S. and Iran and wants to discuss a possible attack on Iran's nuclear facilities with Trump if diplomacy fails. Trump has repeatedly stated since the beginning of his second term that Tehran must choose between military action or negotiation and a nuclear agreement, and he hopes a deal will be reached. Meanwhile, some Israeli media, including Channel 12, reported that Netanyahu will address both the possibility of an agreement or no agreement between Washington and Tehran in his discussions with Trump. According to Channel 12, Netanyahu wants to ensure that Israel's fundamental interests will be considered in the event of an agreement between Iran and the U.S., and on the other hand, he wants to coordinate with the United States for a possible attack on Iranian facilities if diplomacy fails. The Islamic Republic has rejected direct negotiations with the U.S. and has reported on indirect negotiations. However, Trump stated on April 3 that he believes Tehran wants direct dialogue and feels vulnerable. Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has deemed a military attack unlikely while promising a decisive response. Recently, the Pentagon announced a change in military posture in the Middle East, stating that at the direction of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, the capabilities of U.S. military aircraft in the region have been strengthened and a second aircraft carrier is being sent to the area. On Sunday, April 6, Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, said at a Nowruz ceremony that 'Iran's response to the U.S. President's letter was proportional to the content and tone of his letter, while also preserving the opportunity for diplomacy.' Donald Trump announced on February 6 that he had written a letter to Ali Khamenei regarding negotiations for a new nuclear agreement with Iran. Iran also reported that it responded to Trump's letter through Oman. On Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Minister added that 'in principle, direct negotiation with a party that constantly threatens to resort to force against the UN Charter and expresses contradictory positions through various officials would be meaningless, but we remain committed to diplomacy and are willing to explore indirect negotiation.' Araghchi referred to the previous JCPOA agreement, stating that 'now, with that experience, we are ready to pursue discussions regarding our nuclear program and the lifting of unjust sanctions against Iran based on the logic of confidence-building.' Meanwhile, senior officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps emphasized military readiness during their recent military visits and statements. For instance, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, visited the 'Southern Air Defense Zone.' According to IRGC-affiliated media, Hajizadeh, accompanied by Alireza Sabahi-Fard, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Joint Air Defense Headquarters, assessed the 'combat capability and defensive readiness' of units stationed in the southern islands of Iran. These two IRGC commanders had also visited the 'Southeast Air Defense Zone' in Sistan and Baluchestan province on Friday. Additionally, Hossein Salami, the IRGC commander, stated on Saturday that Iran 'will not be the initiator of war.' He expressed that 'we are not at all worried about war,' adding, 'We will not be the initiator of war, but we are prepared for any war.' In another development, over 300 political and civil figures in Iran issued an open letter calling for the UN Secretary-General's efforts to prevent a possible military action by the U.S. The signatories of this letter also stated that in the event of any attack on Iran, 'regardless of their differences with the government, they will defend their country with all their might.' Iranian officials have consistently denied efforts to acquire nuclear weapons, asserting that Iran's nuclear program has 'peaceful purposes.' However, the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported a significant increase in Iran's stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, stating that no other country without nuclear weapons has enriched at this concentration, which is only a short distance from military-level enrichment. Furthermore, in recent months, Iranian officials have spoken about the possibility of changing the 'nuclear doctrine' and 'moving towards building a nuclear bomb' if pressures intensify.