US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have no choice but to accept any nuclear agreement Washington reaches with Tehran, emphasizing that he alone controls American foreign policy decisions.
Trump asserts authority over foreign policy
In a telephone interview with the Financial Times, Trump declared, "He won't have any choice. I call the shots. I call all the shots. He doesn't call the shots." These remarks followed Iran launching ballistic missiles at Israeli targets, marking the most significant breach of a ceasefire established in early April.
Earlier, Trump had told Fox News that he would instruct Netanyahu not to retaliate against Iran. Subsequent reports from Axios and Israeli media indicated that the two leaders had concluded a phone conversation on the matter.
Pursuit of agreement with Iran continues
Despite the missile attack, Trump affirmed his commitment to pursuing an agreement with Tehran. "It's not going to have any impact on the deal. The deal may make it on its own merit, or not, but this will not have any effect on it," he said. He warned that if negotiations fail, he would consider military action or an intensified economic blockade, noting that the blockade had proven more damaging than military strikes.
The Iranian attack came after repeated Israeli strikes on targets in Lebanon, including a strike on a Hezbollah position in Beirut on Sunday, which prompted Iran's missile response. Tehran has stated that a permanent Israeli ceasefire in Lebanon is a prerequisite for any agreement with the US.
Tags: netanyahu, iran, trump
