While Trump appears optimistic about Iran talks, Netanyahu stresses any deal must ‘dismantle Iranian nuclear program’

Following the third round of talks over the Iranian nuclear program between the United States and Iran in Oman on Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump struck an optimistic tone on Sunday. 

“We're in pretty good shape. I think we'll make a deal. I'm pretty sure it's going to happen very soon, without us having to drop bombs all over the place,” Trump told reporters regarding the talks. 

Although Trump had previously advocated for a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities during the 2024 election campaign period, since taking office, he has expressed a preference for pursuing a new nuclear deal over military action.

In a recent interview with TIME Magazine, Trump also sounded hopeful about the negotiations, saying, “I think we're going to make a deal with Iran. Nobody else could do that.” 

However, he also reaffirmed that a military strike remains an option if the negotiations collapse. 

"It's possible we'll have to attack because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Trump stated, before again stating his preference for a diplomatic solution. “I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped.” 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, does not appear to share Trump’s optimism over the talks. 

Speaking at the Jewish News Syndicate International Policy Summit in Jerusalem on Sunday, Netanyahu re-emphasized Israel’s demand that any nuclear deal include the removal of “all the infrastructure of Iran’s nuclear program.” 

“Dismantle all the infrastructure of Iran’s nuclear program. That is a deal we can live with,” Netanyahu said. 

The prime minister said that Israel “cannot live with anything short of that – anything short of that could bring you the opposite result, because Iran will say, all right, I won’t enrich, wait, run out the clock, wait for another president, do it again.” 

Netanyahu again voiced his preference for an agreement similar to the Libya deal, which would see all nuclear equipment removed from Iran. Netanyahu added, for Israel, “A bad deal is worse than no deal.” 

Trump previously floated the idea of allowing a civilian nuclear energy program, which would see Iran import nuclear power reactors from a country, such as Russia. 

During his remarks at the JNS summit, Netanyahu also spoke about Iran’s ballistic missile program, saying the negotiations should address the Islamic Republic’s missile production capabilities as well. 

While Israel targeted several sites used for producing rocket fuel for use in ballistic missiles during its October 2024 strikes on Iran, the fire and explosion in the port city of Bandar Abbas over the weekend highlighted the regime’s attempt to rebuild its missile capabilities.

Many analysts believe the fire originated in a shipment of chemicals intended for Iran’s ballistic missile program.

On Sunday, an Iranian lawmaker accused Israel of attacking the port.

While Israel appears to be in close cooperation with the United States at this time, analysts believe it is still preparing for a possible strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, with or without U.S. support.

"We are in close contact with the United States. But I said, one way or the other, Iran will not have nuclear weapons," Netanyahu told the summit attendees.