A phone call between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday discussed how quickly to resume military action against Iran, with the Israeli leader pressing for immediate strikes after Tuesday's midterm elections and the president preferring to let negotiations play out, according to Axios. An Israeli source described the call as "tough," while a US source called it "direct." The discussion follows Vice President Vance's letter to Iran's security chief about the possibility of restarting talks. Qatari mediators met with Iranian officials for a third consecutive day on Sunday, after the call.
The call, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which did not describe its contents, was reported by Axios citing one Israeli and one US source. The White House and the Israeli prime minister's office declined to comment.
As he did before Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025 and Operation Epic Fury in February, Trump is pursuing dual tracks, trying to reach a deal to restart peace talks while also preparing for a possible resumption of major combat. Ahead of Tuesday's midterms, Vance sent the most senior-level US outreach to Iran in months: a letter to Iran's national security chief Mohsen Rezaei about the possibility of restarting negotiations.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Trump said negotiations with Iran are "going fine" and that he is not "in much of a hurry." He added, however, that the US still has to "take care" of one or two nuclear sites, referring to a suspected nuclear site built into a mountain and mentioning "Pickaxe Mountain." Trump said the US could do that "in 10 minutes" and that it was planned. Trump described the Iranians as "not very reliable" and said "they make a deal and then they back out."
Qatari mediators met with Iranian officials on Sunday for the third consecutive day in an effort to reach a deal on restarting direct US-Iran negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there is no agreement yet and stressed that a deal depends on the US answering Iran's questions. "We are making every effort in this regard and hope that the other side will demonstrate enough rationality to choose diplomacy over other paths," he said.
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Analysis
Why This Matters
The decision on whether to resume strikes will affect regional stability and could escalate the conflict.
The Trump-Netanyahu rift highlights differing strategic priorities between allies: Israel's sense of urgency versus America's diplomatic timeline.
Qatari mediation could be a last chance to avert another round of military action.
Background
Trump has previously pursued a pattern of alternating military operations with diplomatic efforts. Operations Midnight Hammer in June 2025 and Epic Fury in February targeted Iranian nuclear infrastructure while the administration also sought negotiations.
Key Perspectives
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: pushing Trump to strike Iran immediately after the midterms, concerned that negotiations will give Iran time.
President Donald Trump: prefers to continue talks, describing them as "going fine" and saying he is not in a hurry, but hinting at preparedness to strike specific sites.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi: says no agreement has been reached; calls on the US to answer Iran's questions and demonstrate rationality by choosing diplomacy.
What to Watch
Tuesday's midterm results and whether Trump changes his stance afterward.
The outcome of Qatari mediation: whether Iran and the US agree to direct talks.
Any shift in Trump's public remarks about "taking care of" Pickaxe Mountain.
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
SupportedThe headline says Trump and Netanyahu were at odds over the timing of strikes on Iran.Axios: “Netanyahu is pressing Trump to strike Iran immediately after the midterm elections on Tuesday. But Trump, for now, wants to let negotiations play out”
SupportedThe summary says Trump wanted negotiations to play out.Axios: “Trump, for now, wants to let negotiations play out”
SupportedThe summary says Netanyahu pressed for strikes after Tuesday's midterm elections.Axios: “Netanyahu is pressing Trump to strike Iran immediately after the midterm elections on Tuesday.”
SupportedTrump and Netanyahu spoke by phone on Saturday about US negotiations with Iran and how soon to return to combat.Axios: “President Trump had a candid phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Saturday about the state of U.S. negotiations with Iran and how quickly to return to combat”
SupportedThe Israeli source called the call “tough,” and the US source called it “direct.”Axios: “The Israeli source said the call was "tough," while the U.S. source described it as "direct."”
Partly supportedVance sent a letter to Iran's security chief about possibly restarting negotiations.Axios: “Last week Vice President Vance sent a letter to Iran's national security chief Mohsen Rezaei about the possibility of restarting negotiations .”
SupportedTrump said negotiations with Iran were “going fine.”Axios: “Trump told reporters on Saturday that negotiations with Iran are "going fine"”
SupportedTrump said he was not “in much of a hurry.”Axios: “and noted he is not "in much of a hurry."”
SupportedTrump said the US still had to “take care” of one or two nuclear sites in Iran.Axios: “Trump said the U.S. still has to "take care" of one or two nuclear sites in Iran.”
SupportedTrump said the US could act in 10 minutes and had it planned.Axios: “"We can do that in 10 minutes. We have that planned.”
SupportedQatari mediators met Iranian officials on Sunday for a third consecutive day, after the Saturday call.Axios: “State of play: Qatari mediators met with Iranian officials on Sunday for the third consecutive day”
SupportedAraghchi said there was no agreement yet and that a deal depended on the US answering Iran's questions.Axios: “Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that there is no agreement yet and stressed that a deal depends on the U.S. answering Iran's questions.”
Correction
An earlier version of this story said the Saturday call followed Sunday's meeting between Qatari mediators and Iranian officials. The call took place before that meeting.