U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in remarks to The New York Times following the announcement of an agreement with Iran.
Trump described Netanyahu as "a very difficult guy" and suggested that the Israeli leader should appreciate Washington’s role in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Trump argued that without U.S. intervention, Israel’s security would have been severely threatened if Iran had developed a nuclear arsenal. He also expressed frustration over Israeli military actions in Lebanon, saying they nearly undermined the negotiations that led to the agreement, reports Al Jazeera.
The president warned that the United States could resume military strikes against Iran if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program ultimately break down. Trump maintained that previous U.S. missile and bombing attacks were a key factor in persuading Iran to negotiate, claiming that Tehran wanted to avoid further military action.
According to Trump, the pressure created by those strikes played a major role in securing the deal, which he described as having a “huge impact” on bringing Iran to the negotiating table.