Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned US President Donald Trump on Sunday against agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran at this stage in the war against the Islamic Republic, a senior Israeli official told Channel 12 on Monday.

The report came hours after a Pakistan-brokered draft proposal for a temporary 45-day ceasefire was submitted to both Washington and Tehran for consideration. Iran, in response, rejected the offer and demanded nothing less than a permanent ceasefire, while Trump continued to refer to his ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday night or face “hell.”

Israel has not publicly commented on the proposal, although the Israel Hayom news outlet reported that Netanyahu had told a cabinet meeting on Sunday that, in the event of a ceasefire with Iran, Jerusalem would not be required to halt its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Netanyahu, who has publicly insisted that the US and Israel see eye-to-eye on the fighting in Iran, called Trump on Sunday ostensibly to congratulate him on the rescue of a downed US F-15 airman in Iran, the official told Channel 12, but in reality orchestrated the conversation to express concern over a potential ceasefire with Iran.

According to the official, Netanyahu believes that a ceasefire at this stage would carry with it significant risks.

Trump, for his part, was apparently not convinced, as the official said he told the premier that it would be possible to proceed with a truce if Iran agrees to Washington’s demands. The president stressed, however, that he would not give up his demand that Tehran hand over all of its enriched uranium and agree not to resume enrichment, the report said.

Officials close to Trump told Channel 12, however, that Iran’s current position was unlikely to allow for a deal in the foreseeable future.

In a round of last-ditch negotiations ahead of the outbreak of war on February 28, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had ruled out Tehran ever giving up its right to enrich uranium.

Netanyahu did not publicly appear to be out of sync with Trump and Washington’s vision for Iran on Monday, publishing a video in which he recounted the glowing praise that the US president had purportedly heaped upon Israel during the pair’s phone call the previous day.

He said Trump thanked Israel for its part in the rescue of the US officer whose fighter jet was downed.

“I expressed to him our immense appreciation for the heroic........

© The Times of Israel