Earlier than had been previously reported
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to Washington on Tuesday for his seventh visit to the United States since U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term, saying the trip will focus on Gaza, regional developments, and, above all, negotiations with Iran.
“I will present to the president our perspectives on the key principles in the negotiations—principles that, in my view, are important not only for Israel but for anyone in the world who seeks peace and security in the Middle East,” the premier told reporters on the tarmac of Ben Gurion Airport before boarding Israel’s official state aircraft, Wing of Zion.
“The prime minister believes that any negotiations must include limiting [Iran’s] ballistic missiles and halting support for the Iranian axis,” according to a statement released by Netanyahu’s office on Saturday night.
“Our negotiating party is America. It is up to America to decide to act independently of the pressures and destructive influences that are detrimental to the region,” AFP quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei as saying at his weekly press briefing.
“The Zionist regime has repeatedly, as a saboteur, shown that it opposes any diplomatic process in our region that leads to peace,” Baqaei continued.
Netanyahu had been expected to meet with Trump on Feb. 18, but moved up his travel plans. The two are scheduled to meet at the White House on Wednesday.
As reported here yesterday