Netanyahu mandates end of Iran nuclear program, warns against long peace talks: Sources

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the US administration that an agreement with Iran without dismantling its nuclear program “will not be enough,” Al Arabiya reported Saturday citing sources familiar with the matter.

It comes amid reports of disagreements between Tel Aviv and Washington over the peace talks with Iran.

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The unidentified sources also reportedly indicated that Israel has discussed potential options for further escalating its war with Iran, including strikes on energy facilities, adding that the talks must not be prolonged.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Friday that he was expecting Iran’s response to Washington’s latest proposal on a deal to ending the Middle East war by “tonight.”

“I’m getting a letter supposedly tonight, so we’ll see how that goes,” Trump told reporters outside the White House.

The US on Friday fired on and disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers that it said were trying to breach the US-imposed blockade on Iranian ports.

Shortly after the outbreak of the war in February, Pakistan began acting as a mediary between the US and Iran to put an end to the conflict, but neither side has agreed on peace proposals so far.

A fragile ceasefire however has somewhat held, although, the UAE has recently come under Iranian strikes, as recently as Friday.

Iran has further responded by blocking the Strait of Hormuz. The US responded to Iran’s blockade by imposing targeted restrictions on shipping to and from Iranian ports.

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