US President Donald Trump addresses the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington on Friday. AFPInfoNetanyahu set to meet American President at White House this weekThe NationalJuly 26, 2026US President Donald Trump has paused attacks on Iran to give talks “some space” for diplomacy, American envoy to the UN Mike Waltz has said, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set to visit the White House this week.Appearing on several US TV channels on Sunday, Mr Waltz did not give any details of the talks with Tehran, but said they were “continuing” and “happening at the highest level”.“He's giving ⁠it a little bit of room,” Mike Waltz told Fox News.Speaking to NBC's Meet The Press, he described division within Iran's leadership as “hugely challenging … from a diplomatic standpoint”.“They are divided. There is internal fighting. Some are seeking the guidance of the supreme leader. Others want to move into a different direction,” Mr Waltz added.He was speaking after a two-day reprieve in US strikes on Iran at the weekend. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Tehran would halt its own attacks if Washington maintains its pause. The lull follows almost two weeks of American attacks on Iran, after a ceasefire between the two countries broke down earlier this month. Iranian and Omani diplomats were reported to have held discussions at the weekend on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, through which one fifth of the world's energy supply passed until the conflict broke out on February 28.Ships in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on Sunday. ReutersInfoIMF Portwatch data shows that traffic through the strait has returned to a trickle since the ceasefire broke down on July 8. “The Iranians' leverage, this regime's leverage over the Strait of Hormuz will drastically diminish over time,” Mike Waltz told Fox News on Sunday, referring to Gulf states' efforts to develop alternative export routes.He also told NBC that Mr Trump had not ruled out additional strikes. “The President is keeping all options on the table,” Mr Waltz said.Trump to host NetanyahuMr Trump is due to host Mr Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, with the Israeli Prime Minister telling a cabinet meeting on Sunday that the two leaders would discuss “all pending issues”, including developments related to Iran.Speaking to Fox News, Mr Netanyahu said he would “not present new information” to the US President, and added that he believes the visit is an “opportunity to sit with our good friend President Trump and to hear what he has in mind”.US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in February last year. ReutersInfoHe also said he “fully backs” Mr Trump's efforts to end Iran's nuclear programme.“If he can do so without returning to intense military fighting, that's fine. Why not?” Mr Netanyahu said.The Israeli Prime Minister also warned Tehran not to launch direct or indirect strikes on Israel. “It will be a terrible mistake, because our response, Israel's response, will be very, very forceful,” he said.Mr Trump last week hosted Lebanese Prime Minister Joseph Aoun, who was pushing for a reconstruction and relief package after large areas of southern Lebanon were devastated by Israel's military operations.Updated: July 26, 2026, 4:10 PM