Netanyahu, Trump agree to meet in US amid Iran deal tensions

Netanyahu and Trump spoke by phone Friday and agreed to meet "soon" in the U.S., according to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.nypost+1
The call followed a New York Times report alleging U.S. officials believed Israel plotted to kill Iranian negotiators during spring diplomacy.nytimes+1
Netanyahu's office dismissed the assassination allegations as "fake news," calling the report "a complete fabrication of reality."iranintl

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Friday and agreed to meet "soon" in the United States, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office. The call came amid growing friction between Jerusalem and Washington over the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in June, and explosive allegations that Israel had plotted to assassinate Iranian negotiators.nypost+2

The Phone Call

Netanyahu used the conversation to congratulate Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, telling the president that "the U.S. is what ensures the freedom of the world, and Israel greatly appreciates the tight bond between the nations," according to the Prime Minister's Office. The two leaders then "agreed to meet soon in the US," the statement said, without specifying a date.timesofisrael+1

Assassination Allegations

The phone call coincided with a New York Times report published Wednesday alleging that U.S. officials believed Israel may have been plotting to kill Iran's top negotiators — parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — while Washington was engaged in sensitive talks with Tehran this spring. The Washington Post separately reported that senior U.S. officials feared Israel intended to assassinate Iran's top negotiators as the Trump administration pursued its deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.timesofisrael+2

Netanyahu's office dismissed the report as "fake news" and "a complete fabrication of reality". The denial came as the story threatened to deepen the rift between the two allies over Washington's diplomatic engagement with Tehran.iranintl

The Iran Deal Backdrop

The U.S. and Iran signed the memorandum of understanding in June 2026, committing to a permanent cessation of hostilities, the lifting of a U.S. naval blockade, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and negotiations toward a comprehensive agreement within 60 days. The deal also includes U.S. commitments to lift sanctions and facilitate a $300 billion reconstruction plan for Iran, while Tehran reaffirmed it would not develop nuclear weapons.cnn+3

Israel has viewed the agreement with alarm, seeing it as a threat to its strategic position in the region. The planned Netanyahu-Trump meeting will offer both leaders a chance to address these tensions directly.

Sources (15)