MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Netanyahu rushes to Washington to press Trump on Iran: missiles and proxies on the agenda

The Washington meeting will be the seventh face-to-face encounter between Trump and Netanyahu in the 12 months since Trump returned to the White House

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is traveling to Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, with Iran at the top of the agenda, after pushing to move the meeting forward from its originally planned date.

Netanyahu wants any engagement with Tehran to go beyond the nuclear file and also cover limits on Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and an end to Iranian support for allied militias in the region.

The visit follows a first round of Oman-mediated contacts involving White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Araghchi said Tehran “only” discusses the nuclear issue and “does not discuss any other issue” with Washington.

Before boarding his flight, Netanyahu said he would present Trump with Israel’s views on the “guiding principles” for negotiations, which he described as vital not only for Israel but for those seeking “peace and security” in the Middle East.

Reuters noted that Washington wants to broaden the scope to include Iran’s ballistic missiles and support for armed groups across the region, while Iran rejects negotiating its missile program.

Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, urged U.S. officials to act “rationally” and “not allow” Netanyahu to imply he will dictate the negotiating framework, warning about what he called the “destructive role” of “Zionists” in a post on X.

The Washington meeting will be the seventh face-to-face encounter between Trump and Netanyahu in the 12 months since Trump returned to the White House.

In Israel, Energy Minister Eli Cohen said one message to be conveyed is that, “at least from Israel’s point of view,” negotiations with Iran are “pointless.”

AP reported that Netanyahu is expected to press for talks that also address missiles and Iran’s support for militant groups, as Trump says Tehran wants a deal.