'One Of The Best Conversations I've Ever Had': Netanyahu On First Trump Meeting Since Iran War
'One Of The Best Conversations I've Ever Had': Netanyahu On First Trump Meeting Since Iran War Published By, Last Updated: July 29, 2026, 04:41 IST
'One Of The Best Conversations I've Ever Had': Netanyahu On First Trump Meeting Since Iran War Published By, Last Updated: July 29, 2026, 04:41 IST The closed-door meeting at the White House lasted around 90 minutes. The talks came as both leaders sought to move past recent public disagreements over the Iran war. Rapid Read Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posing for a picture with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington DC. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday called his first face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump since the Iran war began as “one of the best conversations I’ve ever had", saying the two leaders agreed on the need to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The closed-door meeting at the White House lasted around 90 minutes. According to the White House, the discussions were “positive and productive".
The meeting came as both leaders sought to move past recent public disagreements over the Iran conflict. “We discussed our common goal: ensuring that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said in a video message after the talks. Iran tops agenda Photos shared by Netanyahu’s office showed the two leaders smiling in the Oval Office, joined by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Meeting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, at the White House. pic.twitter.com/4TQtlg60TY— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 28, 2026 The meeting came as fighting between the US and Iran has paused, with Washington saying it wants to give diplomacy a chance. Israel has not participated in the latest round of hostilities between the US and Iran after an April ceasefire collapsed. The White House also confirmed that Trump separately met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier in the day, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt describing both meetings as “positive and productive." Tensions between Trump and Netanyahu Despite Tuesday’s warm public remarks, relations between Trump and Netanyahu had come under strain in recent months.
In April, during discussions over an Iran ceasefire, Trump reportedly criticised Netanyahu in private and later called him in an interview as “a very difficult guy." Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, Trump also expressed annoyance over reports that details of Netanyahu’s planned talking points on Iran had been leaked. Referring to Netanyahu by his nickname, Trump told Fox & Friends, “I don’t need Bibi to tell me that. Bibi’s telling me that because he wants me to stay involved." Netanyahu, however, had earlier dismissed the disagreements as “tactical", insisting that both leaders remained aligned on the broader objective of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Tuesday’s meeting marked the eighth between Trump and Netanyahu since the US President returned to office in early 2025. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.
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