Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump agreed to meet in the US in the near future during a phone call Friday, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The premier congratulated Trump on the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, and said that “the US is what ensures the freedom of the world, and Israel greatly appreciates the tight bond between the nations.”

Additionally, “Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump agreed to meet soon in the US,” the statement said.

The two spoke amid ongoing tensions over Washington’s peace negotiations with Iran, which Israel fears will lead to a deal that will be detrimental to its security, but also amid reports that Trump has considered returning to fighting with the Islamic Republic.

Last month, after weeks of negotiations, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and undertake 60 days of negotiations on a final deal covering Iran’s nuclear program. Israel was not a party to the deal and is not involved in the resulting negotiations, but its fight with Iran has also paused.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Trump had recently considered options for a return to full-scale war in Iran, but decided to instead focus on diplomatic efforts,

Trump has also told aides that it would not be a problem if a nuclear deal is not reached by the 60-day deadline on August 18, the newspaper said.

According to the report, which cited US officials, Trump held talks in the past few days with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine on whether the US should quit negotiations for a deal and instead carry out........

© The Times of Israel