Said Amori
25 May 2026•Update: 25 May 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted in closed-door discussions that he is facing difficulty influencing US President Donald Trump’s position on Iran, Israeli media said Sunday.
The reported development came as negotiations between Washington and Tehran appear to be moving closer toward an agreement aimed at ending the war on Iran.
Israel’s Channel 13, citing unnamed political sources familiar with the matter, said Netanyahu expressed concern during closed-door government discussions over an emerging US-Iran agreement.
According to the report, Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel currently has “no room for maneuver” to influence Trump’s decisions.
It said Israel’s Security Cabinet continued meeting Sunday evening amid mounting reports that an agreement could be nearing, while Israeli security institutions remained on heightened alert over concerns that a deal could provide Iran with political protection, ease economic pressure, and leave its nuclear and proxy infrastructure intact.
According to Channel 13, Israel’s diplomatic efforts in Washington are being led by former Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, while the US continues negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The broadcaster also cited Israeli sources as saying Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “the only figure capable of derailing the agreement.”
It added that figures close to Trump, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, have pressed him to move the agreement forward.
Israeli concerns have intensified that diplomatic efforts may ultimately produce a deal that Tel Aviv considers insufficient to prevent Iran from developing future nuclear capabilities.
Earlier Sunday, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN cited a source familiar with the matter as saying that Netanyahu spoke by phone with Trump and expressed concern over delaying action on Iran’s nuclear file and linking the Lebanon ceasefire to Iran within the emerging agreement.
Trump said Saturday that an agreement with Iran to end the war was “largely negotiated” and awaited finalization. The breakthrough came after Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir’s visit to Tehran, his second in recent weeks.
A ceasefire in the war that began on Feb. 28 was first mediated by Pakistan on April 8.
*Writing by Tarek Chouiref
