Trump, Netanyahu had tense phone call on future of Iran war: reports

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a tense phone call over the future course of the war on Iran as Washington appeared to be in favour of a deal instead of the resumption of strikes, U.S. media reported.

After the Tuesday (May 19, 2026) phone call with Mr. Trump, Mr. Netanyahu’s “hair was on fire”, U.S. media outlet Axios reported on Wednesday (May 20, 2026), adding that the Israeli Prime Minister was keen on the resumption of strikes to further degrade Iran’s military capabilities and weaken the regime by destroying its critical infrastructure.

Mr. Trump on Sunday (May 17, 2026) said he had put-off strikes on Iran, planned for Tuesday (May 19, 2026), following a request from Arab nations including Qatar and the UAE.

A revised peace memo was drafted by Qatar and Pakistan with input from the other regional mediators to try to bridge the gaps between the U.S. and Iran, Axios reported, quoting sources.

Mr. Netanyahu is highly sceptical about the negotiations and wants to resume the war to further degrade Iran’s military capabilities and weaken the regime by destroying its critical infrastructure.

Mr. Trump continues to say he thinks a deal can be reached, but that he’s ready to resume the war if it isn’t.

“The only question is, do we go and finish it up, or are they gonna be signing a document. Let’s see what happens,” he said on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) at the Coast Guard Academy.  Later on Wednesday (May 20, 2026), he said the U.S. and Iran were “right on the borderline” between getting a deal and resuming the war.

“It’s right on the borderline, believe me. If we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go. We have to get the right answers — it would have to be a complete 100% good answers,” Mr. Trump told reporters after he returned to Washington from the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. 

There is a strong desire in the upper echelons of the Israeli government for renewed military action, CNN reported, quoting an Israeli source, and mounting frustration that Mr. Trump is continuing to allow what they say is Iran’s diplomatic foot-dragging.

Mr. Trump also said Mr. Netanyahu “will do whatever I want him to do” on Iran, though he also said they had a good relationship. Iran has confirmed it’s reviewing an updated proposal, but has not yet shown any signs of flexibility.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) that negotiations were ongoing “based on Iran’s 14-point proposal,” and that Pakistan’s Interior Minister was in Tehran to help the mediation.

Mr. Trump told Mr. Netanyahu that the mediators were working on a “letter of intent” that both the U.S. and Iran would sign to formally end the war and launch a 30-day period of negotiations on issues like Iran’s nuclear program and opening of the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. source briefed on the call told Axios.