Israeli leader says security, Iran’s nuclear threat, and expanding the Abraham Accords will dominate Tuesday’s White House meeting
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for Washington on Monday ahead of a closely watched meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, saying Iran and efforts to expand regional peace agreements would be at the center of the discussions. Netanyahu left Israel from Nevatim Airbase after an unexplained delay under heightened security precautions.
Speaking before takeoff, Netanyahu described the mission as both “a great privilege” and “a great responsibility,” noting that Tuesday’s meeting would be his eighth with Trump since the president returned to the White House. Netanyahu said no other foreign leader has met with Trump as frequently during his second term.
Iran is expected to dominate the talks following months of escalating military confrontation, including U.S. and Israeli operations against Iranian targets and retaliatory Iranian attacks across the Middle East. The Trump administration recently paused additional strikes while exploring whether negotiations with Tehran could produce meaningful restrictions on its nuclear and military programs.
Israeli officials remain concerned that any agreement limited solely to Iran’s nuclear enrichment program could leave Tehran’s ballistic missile arsenal and regional proxy network largely intact. Netanyahu is expected to press for firm safeguards preventing Iran from rebuilding capabilities damaged during recent military operations.
The meeting comes as Trump weighs diplomacy against renewed military action. The president has said the United States remains prepared to strike again if Iran refuses to negotiate seriously, while Netanyahu has warned that Israel would respond with overwhelming force to any direct Iranian attack.
Beyond Iran, Netanyahu said the leaders would discuss expanding “the circle of peace,” a reference to additional normalization agreements between Israel and Arab or Muslim-majority nations. Saudi Arabia remains the most consequential potential addition to the Abraham Accords, with Trump recently tying U.S. civilian nuclear cooperation with Riyadh to normalization with Israel.
The two leaders are also expected to review security arrangements involving Gaza and Lebanon, where Washington has promoted multinational and regional frameworks intended to reduce fighting and weaken Iranian-backed terrorist organizations. Despite occasional disagreements between the Trump and Netanyahu governments, both leaders continue to emphasize the strategic alliance between the United States and Israel.
Netanyahu will also attend a memorial service for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, whom he described as one of Israel’s greatest friends. As he left for Washington, the prime minister said his purpose was to preserve Israel’s security and strength while seeking a broader peace—an objective increasingly tied to whether Iran can be prevented from rebuilding the military power that has threatened Israel and its neighbors for decades.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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