US in 'direct talks with Iran', Trump claims during Netanyahu meeting
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During a meeting with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump warned that Iran would be in "great danger" if direct talks with the US fail.
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US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 7, 2025 (AFP)
Washington and Tehran began direct talks over the Iranian nuclear program, Trump claimed on Monday.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office at the White House, Trump said, "We're having direct talks with Iran, and they've started. It'll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we'll see what can happen. And I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable," he told reporters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, becoming the first foreign leader to personally appeal for relief from newly imposed US tariffs that have caused global concern.
Trump welcomed Netanyahu outside the West Wing with a fist pump before both entered the Oval Office for their meeting. In an unusual move, a planned joint press conference was canceled at the last minute without any explanation. During Netanyahu’s previous visit, the two had addressed the media in the Oval Office and held a formal press event.
Netanyahu arrived in Washington directly after a visit to Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced his country’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court in protest of the court’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu over the war on Gaza.
Both Orban and Netanyahu also held a phone call with Trump last Thursday.
The US president has been advocating for direct negotiations on a new agreement to limit Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. In response, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei described Iran’s offer for indirect talks as “generous, responsible and wise.”
There is increasing speculation that "Israel", potentially with US backing, may strike Iranian nuclear sites if no agreement is reached.
Trump warned that Iran would be in "great danger" if direct talks between Washington and Tehran fail.
"I think if the talks aren't successful with Iran, I think Iran's going to be in great danger," he said with Netanahu at his side. "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and if the talks aren't successful I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran."
On March 30, Trump issued Iran a two-month ultimatum to reach a nuclear agreement with Washington. Speaking to NBC News’ Kristen Welker, Trump warned, “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing. It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
US-'Israel' working on new Gaza deal
The war on Gaza and the fate of the Israeli and American captives still held there dominated the discussions. Trump has expressed strong support for "Israel", accusing Hamas of failing to release the captives.
Meanwhile, Washington has largely overlooked an Israeli strike last month that killed 15 medics and rescue workers in Gaza, drawing sharp international condemnation.
A brief US-brokered ceasefire between "Israel" and the Palestinian Resistance collapsed after Tel Aviv resumed its war on the Palestinian enclave in March.
Netanyahu said during the meeting with Trump that new negotiations were being worked on with the aim of getting more captives released from Gaza.
"We're working now on another deal that we hope will succeed, and we're committed to getting all the hostages out," the Israeli premier told reporters in the Oval Office.
Trump said he thinks the war on Gaza "will stop at some point, that won't be in the too-distant future" but noted that securing the release of all the captives was "a long process."
Describing Gaza as an "important piece of real estate" and "an oceanfront property," he considered that "a peace force like the United States there controlling and owning the Gaza Strip would be a good thing," referencing his controversial proposal to "take over" the Palestinian Strip and turn it into the "Riviera of the Middle East."
In the same context, Netanyahu said that "the people of Gaza should have choice to go wherever," claiming that all that "Israel" seeks "is to enable the residents of Gaza to have the option of leaving for other countries," cementing a take-it-or-die proposal.
He claimed that there are several countries "willing to take them [Gaza residents] in."
Trump considered that "Israel" "should never have given up the Gaza Strip" in the first place, referring to the occupation entity's withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave in 2005.
"I don't understand why Israel previously abandoned the Gaza Strip," he said, announcing that he will rename Gaza the "Freedom Zone" after displacing its population, highlighting that were Netayahu in charge at the time, "he wouldn't have given it up."
Earlier on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that he had arranged a phone call between Trump and the leaders of Egypt and Jordan during a visit to Cairo, in which the trio urged an immediate return to the ceasefire.
The leaders also emphasized that only the Palestinian Authority should govern Gaza after the war, rejecting Trump’s earlier remarks suggesting the US might "take over" the territory.
On tariffs
This visit marks Netanyahu’s second meeting with Trump since the US president returned to office and was arranged hastily, following Trump’s announcement last week of a 17% tariff on Israeli goods as part of his "Liberation Day" policy.
Despite "Israel" being the largest recipient of US military aid, Trump refused to grant it an exemption from the new trade measures, citing Washington's trade deficit with Tel Aviv.
On Monday, Netanyahu vowed that "Israel" will eliminate all trade barriers with the US, adding, “We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States.”
“Israel can serve as a model for other countries that strive to do the same,” he said.
The Israeli premier said he sympathizes with Trump’s position on tariffs and described himself as a free trade advocate but stressed that “free trade has to be fair trade.”
Trump revealed that Netanyahu began his conversation in the Oval Office by saying that “he’s cutting off all of the tariffs, everything. He’s going to get down to a free base.”
When asked if his administration planned to reduce tariffs on Israeli goods, Trump made no promises but said, "We are talking about a whole new trade with Israel."
"We've been ripped off and taken advantage of by many countries over the years, and can't do it anymore," he explained.
The US president pointed out that countries would not have been willing to negotiate with the US on tariffs had he not taken the steps he announced in recent days.
Before his departure to Washington, Netanyahu said in a video statement, "I'm the first international leader, the first foreign leader who will meet with President Trump on a matter so crucial to Israel's economy."
"There is a long line of leaders who want to do this. I believe this reflects the special personal relationship and the unique bond between the United States and Israel, which is so vital at this time," the Israeli premier indicated.
Upon arrival, Netanyahu met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and also held talks with Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
US not considering pause on tariffs
Trump said on Monday that his administration is not considering a pause on tariffs to facilitate negotiations with trade partners. However, he confirmed that discussions would continue with countries such as China and Japan regarding existing tariffs.
When Trump was asked if he would consider suspending tariffs, he responded, saying, "Well, we're not looking at that. We have many, many countries that are coming to negotiate deals with us and they're going to be fair deals. And in certain cases they're going to be paying substantial tariffs. There'll be fair deals."
"We are making tremendous progress with a lot of countries on tariffs," he added.
The US president reaffirmed his warning that his country would impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports unless Beijing retracts its proposed 34% tariff on American goods.
Regarding Russia, Trump said, “We’re not talking about tariffs on Russia because we’re not doing business with them.”
The president also emphasized that selling energy to the European Union would be a central objective in his efforts to reduce the US trade deficit with the bloc.
"The European Union's been very bad to us," Trump told reporters, accusing member states of failing to purchase enough US products.
"They're going to have to buy their energy from us, because they need it and they're going to have to buy it from us. They can buy it, we can knock off $350 billion in one week," he emphasized.
Trump says he can mediate between 'Israel', Turkey
During the meeting, Trump said he can mediate between "Israel" and Turkey, claiming that he has "a great relationship" with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The US president said he had congratulated his Turkish counterpart on doing “what nobody has done in 2,000 years, taking over Syria,” referring to the ouster of Bashar al-Assad's regime by a group of factions led by the Turkish-backed Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group.
“Any problem that you have with Turkey, I think we can solve, as long as you are reasonable, you have to be reasonable,” he told Netanyahu.
Ankara has condemned the Israeli occupation's actions in the region, calling it the "greatest threat" to regional security due to its attacks on the territorial integrity and national unity of neighboring countries.
"It is crucial for the international community to take responsibility in preventing Israel’s reckless aggression," the Turkish Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday.
It questioned why "Israel" was disturbed by developments in Syria and Lebanon that "hold great promise for stability."
Turkey called on the Israeli regime to withdraw from the occupied territories and to cease obstructing efforts aimed at stabilizing Syria.
The Turkish statement came in response to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who, during a press conference in Paris, expressed concerns over Turkey’s "negative role" in Syria, Lebanon, and other areas.
"They are doing their utmost to turn Syria into a Turkish protectorate, and it is clear that this is their intention," Sa'ar had said.
Read more: Demonstrations against Netanyahu in occupied al-Quds, Washington
