US media report PM pressed Trump to resume attacks on Iran, but president chose to give talks more time as Tehran reviews US terms and Saudi Arabia urges de-escalationynet| Related TopicsPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump held a tense phone call this week over whether to resume strikes on Iran, with Netanyahu arguing that waiting would be a mistake and Trump saying he wanted to give diplomacy more time, U.S. media reported.According to reports by CNN, Axios and The Wall Street Journal, Netanyahu pressed Trump to continue with planned military action against Iran, warning that further delays would only benefit Tehran. Israeli officials were said to be frustrated that Trump was again allowing Iran to drag out negotiations.US President Donald Trump on Iran (Video: ABC News)CNN reported that Netanyahu told Trump that delaying renewed fighting would be a mistake and urged him to move ahead as planned. The Wall Street Journal reported that Netanyahu made similar arguments in two recent calls, stressing Israel’s skepticism that Iran would comply with any agreement to dismantle its nuclear program or stop attacks on its neighbors in the region.The reports said Israeli officials are concerned that any rapid agreement Trump signs to end the war would not sufficiently remove the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. U.S. intelligence has assessed that Iran has managed to reopen many missile depots that were blocked during the war, while enriched uranium reportedly remains at the Isfahan nuclear site.Trump was not persuaded by Netanyahu’s arguments, according to The Wall Street Journal, and made clear he still backed diplomacy. He said he was seeking an agreement that would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while not ruling out renewed military action later.CNN reported that Trump told Netanyahu he wanted to allow several more days for a deal to emerge in order to save lives. In an earlier call Sunday, Trump reportedly said he had been leaning toward approving strikes before canceling them at the last minute. The planned operation was expected to be dubbed “Heavy Hammer.”2 View gallery US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Shutterstock, Prime Minister's Office)The Wall Street Journal reported that in a Monday meeting on Iran, Trump and his advisers concluded that economic pressure on Tehran was having an effect. If Trump ultimately decides to resume fighting, the newspaper said, he is expected to order strikes on energy and other critical infrastructure targets.In Tehran, Iranian officials said they had received U.S. “positions” and were reviewing them. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Pakistan continued to mediate and pass messages between Tehran and Washington, and that several rounds of communication had taken place based on Iran’s 14-point plan.Fada-Hossein Maleki, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, said Pakistani army chief Asim Munir was expected to arrive in Tehran with a message. Despite signs of diplomacy, the sides remain far apart, with Iran showing no flexibility on its nuclear program or the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States has so far refused to make major concessions on sanctions relief.2 View gallery Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan (Photo: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)Saudi Arabia welcomed Trump’s last-minute decision to hold off on strikes. Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said the kingdom “highly appreciates” Trump’s decision to give negotiations another chance to reach an agreement that would end the war and restore security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.He also praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts and urged Iran to seize the opportunity to avoid the serious consequences of escalation.Comments