The U.S. will hold direct talks with Iran starting this weekend because Trump insists Tehran can’t get nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON (AP) – president Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States is in direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program.

In comments on correspondents after their meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the president said that the talks with Tehran will start on Saturday. He insisted that Tehran cannot obtain nuclear weapons. Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to visit Trump since he launched a customs tariff for countries around the world.

If Netanyahu’s visit succeeds in dropping or eliminating the tariff of Israel, but it still must be seen, but how it could be the way to calm down how other world leaders try to address the new definitions.

Trump received the Israeli Prime Minister with a firm handshake while arriving for talks.

Trump ignored noisy questions from journalists about falling global markets and whether it would raise the customs tariff for Israel.

Shortly before their meeting, the White House announced that Trump and Netanyahu’s plans to hold a joint press conference were canceled. The White House did not provide any immediate explanation for the reason for canceling this, but Trump and Netanyahu are expected to provide comments on correspondents at the beginning of the scheduled oval office meeting.

Netanyahu’s office put his organized visit in Washington on the customs tariff, while emphasizing that the two leaders will discuss major geopolitical issues including the war in Gaza, tensions with Iran, Israel Torke’s relations, and the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant against the Israeli leader last year. In February, Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court on his investigations in Israel.

Before his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump made a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Egyptian President Abdel Fateh Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah II. All the three leaders were major interlocutors in the efforts made to decline in tensions in the Middle East and put an end to the Israeli war.

Participation was organized by Macron, according to a French government official who was not permitted to publicly comment and spoke on the condition that his identity is not disclosed.

The Prime Minister met shortly after his arrival in Washington on Sunday evening with the senior Trump administration officials, Houard Lottenic and American Trade Representative Jameson Jarir, to discuss the definitions. On Monday, Netanyahu met with Steve Whitkov, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, before sitting with the president.

Trump and Netanyahu are also expected to discuss Israel -hoped to include parts of the occupied West Bank, which the Palestinians want as a heart of their future independent country.

Eitan Gilboa, an expert in relations between the United States to Israel, said he expected Trump to use the definitions as a lever to increase concessions from Netanyahu.

In the case of Israel, these concessions may not be economic. Trump may pressure Netanyahu to move towards ending the war in Gaza – at least through some temporary truce with Hamas that would stop fighting and liberate more hostages.

Gilboa said that Trump hopes to return from his first journey abroad – expected next month to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – with some movement on a deal to normalize relations with Israel, which is likely to require major Israeli concessions in Gaza.

If he succeeds in moving towards strengthening relations between Israel and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this will be the weight of a regional diplomatic balance to pressure Iran, which Trump threatened new sanctions and suggested a military action on its nuclear program.

In a preventive step last week, Israel announced that it is removing all the customs tariffs on goods from the United States, most of which are imported food and agricultural products, according to a statement issued by the Netanyahu office.

The statement did not mention the imminent Trump tariff, which was announced the next day, but said that the step of Israel would strengthen relations with its largest commercial partner, the United States. Israel is not a major commercial partner for the United States

But the tactic failed, and at a rate of 17 %, Israel was one of dozens of countries that were slapped by definitions on the so -called liberation day in Trump last week.

Although Israel is a small market for American products, the United States is a major commercial partner for Israel. Many of this trade is intended for high -tech services, which are not directly affected by definitions, but the major Israeli industries can be affected.

The Association of Manufacturers in Israel estimates that customs duties will cost Israel about 3 billion dollars of exports each year and lead to the loss of 26,000 jobs in industries that include biotechnology, chemicals, plastic and electronics. The World Bank of Israeli Israeli GDP, a measure of economic production, is more than $ 500 billion per year.

“The damage will not stop at exports,” said Ron Tomer, head of the group. “It will frighten investors, encourage companies to leave Israel and undermine our image as a global center for innovation.” He called on the government to work urgently to protect the economy.

This story was originally shown on Fortune.com

2025-04-07 20:02:00