Netanyahu to push tough stance in Iran talks with Trump in Washington

 US President Donald Trump is hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks on Wednesday that are likely to focus on the current talks between the United States and Iran.

"I will present the president with our perspective on the principles of these negotiations," Netanyahu said before his departure.

Shortly before that he had made it clear that any negotiations between the US and Iran must include both a limitation on ballistic missiles and an end to the support of Iran's allies in the region.

Israel views Iran's nuclear and missile programme as its greatest existential threat.

Representatives from the US and Iran began talks in Oman’s capital, Muscat, on Friday. A date for a possible continuation has not yet been set. Iran has repeatedly stated that it only wants to negotiate about its nuclear programme, not its missiles.

The Israeli broadcaster Kan reported that Netanyahu had refrained from bringing military representatives to Washington to avoid the accusation that Israel wants to drag the US into a war.

The meeting with Trump is taking place behind closed doors. Washington has decided that no statements will be made beforehand, nor will a press conference be held afterwards, the broadcaster reported. This could indicate that Trump wants to avoid any disagreements becoming public.

One of the main messages Netanyahu will convey to Trump is that negotiations with Iran are worthless, the Wall Street Journal quoted Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen as saying. "Iran has not fulfilled any of its obligations," Cohen told Israeli Army Radio.

Trump, on the other hand, told the US news portal Axios that he does not believe Netanyahu is nervous about the negotiations between the US and Iran. "He also wants a deal. He wants a good deal," Trump said.

A senior Iranian official urged caution. Before Netanyahu's departure, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Ali Larijani wrote on the online platform X: "[The] Americans must think wisely and not allow him, through posturing, to imply before his flight that 'I want to go and teach Americans the framework of the nuclear negotiations.' They must remain alert to the destructive role of the Zionists."

The meeting between him and Netanyahu at the White House - the seventh since Trump took office - is scheduled for 11 am (1600 GMT).

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth (Latest News) reported that Netanyahu intends to share current intelligence information with Trump about the Iranian missile programme, as well as about the massacre that "the regime has perpetrated on its own citizens."

The leadership in Tehran violently suppressed mass protests, with thousands of demonstrators killed at their height on January 8-9.

Trump then threatened Tehran with military intervention and strengthened the US military presence in the region, including with the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

Way forward in Gaza Strip

Trump and Netanyahu are also planning to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.

It is unlikely that Israel will withdraw its troops from Gaza before Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups lay down their arms.

Israel also considers the extensive tunnel system built by Hamas under the Gaza Strip as part of the Islamists' military infrastructure. According to Israeli media reports, Israel's army is also preparing for the resumption of war in the Gaza Strip if Hamas continues to refuse disarmament.

Without demilitarization, it will be difficult for Trump's recently constituted Board of Peace to implement the next steps of its 20-point plan, the New York Times reported.

Founded by Trump in January in Davos to resolve global conflicts, the Board of Peace is set to meet for the first time on February 19 in Washington. The meeting is expected to focus on implementing the second phase of the peace process and raising money for the reconstruction of the war-torn coastal strip.

The Board of Peace is seen by many European countries as a competitor to the United Nations and has therefore been rejected. Contrary to initial expectations, it is not a body solely dedicated to overseeing the Gaza peace process.