Trump Pushes Iran Deal With Israel Normalisation Clause as Netanyahu Admits Limited Sway
As US-Iran negotiations enter their third month, Trump demands Arab states normalise ties with Israel, while Netanyahu privately concedes Israel has little ability to shape the outcome.
The trajectory of the US-Iran conflict shifted significantly this week as President Donald Trump pressed forward with a potential peace deal that could reshape the Middle East — and sidelined one of America’s closest allies in the process.
A Deal Taking Shape
After nearly three months of conflict that began with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Washington and Tehran appear to be edging toward an initial agreement. The framework, as described by a senior Trump administration official, would see Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the US lifting its naval blockade, followed by a 60-day negotiation period covering nuclear weapons and other outstanding issues.
The talks, mediated indirectly by Pakistan, have been cautious. Both sides have publicly played down hopes of an imminent breakthrough since Trump said on Saturday that a deal would be announced “shortly.” Key sticking points remain: Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile, Tehran’s demand for sanctions relief, and Israel’s ongoing military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Iranian sources have indicated that “feasible formulas” could be found for the uranium dispute, potentially including dilution of the material under supervision of the US nuclear watchdog.
The Normalisation Gamble
In a move that stunned both allies and critics, Trump declared on Truth Social that it “should be mandatory” for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, and other regional nations to simultaneously sign onto the Abraham Accords as part of any Iran agreement.
The proposal represents an ambitious expansion of the normalisation deals originally brokered in 2020. By linking diplomatic recognition of Israel directly to the Iran deal, Trump is attempting to deliver a geopolitical grand bargain — pacifying Iran while isolating it diplomatically through expanded Israeli ties.
The reaction in Washington was swift and illustrative. Senator Lindsey Graham, who had warned just days earlier that ending the conflict to reopen the Strait of Hormuz would be a “nightmare” for Israel, reversed course and called Trump’s diplomatic manoeuvre “simply brilliant.” Pro-Israel commentator Mark Levin similarly pivoted from criticising the potential deal to praising the normalisation push as “a truly massive accomplishment.”
Netanyahu’s Private Concession
Perhaps the most revealing development came not from Washington but from Jerusalem. According to two Israeli officials who spoke with Reuters, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has privately told confidants that Israel has “little ability to influence” Trump’s decision-making on Iran.
The admission is striking. Israel initiated this conflict as a partner of the United States, yet finds itself increasingly on the sidelines of the negotiations that will determine its outcome. Netanyahu is demanding the right to continue military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon — a caveat that could derail the entire deal if Iran insists on a complete halt to Israeli operations in the south.
Despite the agreement not immediately addressing Israel’s concerns over Iran’s nuclear program and stockpile, Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel “has no maneuver to influence the president right now,” one Israeli official said. Trump and Netanyahu have spoken by phone at least three times in the past week, but those conversations appear to have done little to close the gap.
What Comes Next
The coming weeks will be decisive. If the initial agreement holds and both sides enter the 60-day negotiation phase, the Middle East could see a dramatic realignment. But the path is fraught: Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain unresolved, Hezbollah continues to operate in Lebanon, and Israel’s security concerns are far from addressed.
What is already clear is that Trump is willing to pursue this deal with or without Israel’s full endorsement — and that the political landscape in Washington can shift overnight depending on which clause of the agreement is being discussed.
For a region that has been a powder keg for decades, the question is whether this is the beginning of a genuine transformation or simply the latest chapter in a long history of unfinished peace plans.