US President Donald Trump is planning to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal and the nuclear talks with Iran, Axios news site has reported, citing two sources.
Monday marks the first call between Netanyahu and Trump since the Israeli leader's White House visit two weeks ago. Iran and the US have concluded two "constructive" rounds of talks in Oman and Italy, and are proceeding to a crucial third round in Muscat.
Trump said on Monday that US had very good talks with Iran, which has accused Israel of seeking to "undermine" ongoing talks with Washington on its nuclear programme and the Western sanctions.
"A kind of coalition is forming... to undermine and disrupt the diplomatic process," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei told reporters on Monday, saying Israel was behind the effort.
"Alongside it are a series of warmongering currents in the United States and figures from different factions," the spokesman added.
The New York Times reported on Thursday that Trump had dissuaded Israel from striking Iran's nuclear sites in the short term.
Netanyahu has insisted that Israel would never allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.
Western powers and Israel — the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East though Tel Aviv neither acknowledges nor denies the existence of a nuclear arsenal — have long accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons.
Iran has always denied the charge, insisting its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only.
Experts are optimistic about US-Iran talks in Oman and Italy but doubt Tehran will agree to dismantle its entire nuclear programme like Libya despite setbacks in Syria and Lebanon.
2015 nuclear deal
In 2018, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal that eased sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.
A year later, Iran began to gradually breach the terms of the deal, most notably by enriching uranium to high levels.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Tehran has enriched uranium to 60 percent, close to the 90 percent level needed to manufacture weapons, and continues to accumulate large stocks of fissile material.
The 2015 nuclear deal restricted it to 3.67 percent. Iran and the United States, arch-foes since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, are set to meet for a third round of talks mediated by Oman.
