Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Credit: AFP.)
The U.S. president dissuaded Israel from attacking Iranian nuclear sites, as it planned to do next month, reported the New York Times on Wednesday night, citing U.S. administration officials and other sources informed of the discussions.
Donald Trump made this decision after months of internal debate on the path to engage in diplomatic efforts or support Israel in its efforts to curb Iran's ability to build a bomb, at a time when the country is militarily and economically weakened, continues the U.S. daily.
It further highlights that this debate brought to light the divisions between traditionally hawkish members of the U.S. cabinet and other advisors more skeptical about the effectiveness of a military strike to destroy Iran's nuclear ambitions without triggering a larger-scale war. The fact that Iran expressed its willingness to negotiate favored a consensus around a diplomatic solution.
The New York Times adds that Israeli officials had recently developed plans to attack Iranian nuclear sites in May, were ready to execute them, and even expected, at times, that Washington would give them the green light. But these plans, aimed at delaying Iran's access to the nuclear bomb, almost all required U.S. support to ensure their success and defend Israel against potential Iranian reprisals, the newspaper continues.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has called on Iran to negotiate a new agreement but has threatened to bomb the country if diplomacy fails. Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian declared on Wednesday that he wished to "conclude" an agreement with the United States on the nuclear program. On Tuesday, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — the ultimate decision-maker on strategic issues — praised the ongoing talks while expressing skepticism about their outcome.
Iran is the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium to such a high level (60%), close to the 90% needed to manufacture an atomic weapon, while continuing to accumulate significant stocks of fissile material, according to the IAEA. The 2015 agreement, which Trump denounced during his first term, capped this rate at 3.67%.
Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington, under Omani mediation, were launched on April 12 in Muscat by Araghchi and the emissary of President Donald Trump for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. They will continue on Saturday in Rome, Iranian state television indicated on Wednesday, information confirmed to AFP by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.