A telephone conversation between former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has disrupted ongoing diplomatic efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal, according to multiple diplomatic sources. The call, which took place on Tuesday, is understood to have included discussions on the United States rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with Netanyahu expressing strong opposition and Trump reportedly offering reassurances that a future Republican administration would not be bound by any agreement.
The intervention comes at a critical juncture. Negotiators in Vienna had reported progress in recent weeks, with indirect talks between American and Iranian officials edging closer to a framework for mutual compliance. British diplomats, who have been leading European efforts to mediate, were caught off guard by the call. One senior Foreign Office official described it as “unhelpful and destabilising” in a private briefing.
Iran’s lead negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, signalled Tehran’s frustration. “We have seen this pattern before. Statements made outside the negotiating table only serve to empower hardliners on both sides,” he told state media. Meanwhile, Israeli officials defended the prime minister’s move. “Israel has always maintained the right to protect its security interests. The JCPOA as currently drafted is a flawed agreement,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office read.
The political calculus is clear. Trump remains a dominant figure in Republican politics and has repeatedly criticised the nuclear deal, which he withdrew from in 2018. His conversation with Netanyahu, a close ally during his presidency, appears designed to signal that any agreement reached now would be vulnerable to reversal. This undermines the very certainty that diplomats have been trying to build.
European capitals are now assessing the damage. Britain’s Foreign Secretary has held emergency calls with his French and German counterparts. The trio issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to the diplomatic track but acknowledging “the need to address legitimate security concerns.” This is diplomatic code for offering Israel confidence-building measures in exchange for restraint.
The incident also exposes the fragility of the current negotiations. The Biden administration has walked a tightrope: re-entering talks while managing domestic political pressure. Trump’s intervention sharpens that dilemma. Republican senators have already threatened to block any sanctions relief for Iran through legislation. The White House has declined to comment on the call but reiterated its support for a negotiated solution.
For now, the margins for error have narrowed. Negotiators are racing to finalise a deal before Iran’s presidential election in June, which could bring a more hardline government to power. Britain’s diplomats are particularly concerned that any further disruption could push Iran closer to nuclear breakout capability. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported this week that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium now exceeds limits set by the original agreement by a factor of 16.
One European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, summed up the mood: “We are in a race against time, and the phone call has not made our job any easier. But we must keep going. The alternative is a nuclear-armed Iran and a regional arms race.”
