A phone call between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sparked concern among White House officials that it could derail delicate diplomatic efforts with Iran, according to sources familiar with the conversation.
The call, described by one official as “crazy”, took place late on Tuesday and lasted approximately 45 minutes. During the exchange, Trump and Netanyahu discussed the ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme, with the Israeli leader urging the president to adopt a more aggressive stance against Tehran.
The White House source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Trump appeared to be swayed by Netanyahu’s arguments, despite warnings from his own national security team that such a shift could collapse the talks. The source added that the president’s tone during the call was “impatient” and “dismissive” of the progress made by US diplomats.
A separate administration official confirmed that the call had alarmed senior aides, who are now scrambling to reassure European allies and Iranian negotiators that Washington remains committed to the current diplomatic track. The official said that the White House was “managing fallout” from the conversation.
The development comes at a critical juncture in the Iran negotiations, with both sides reportedly nearing a preliminary agreement on uranium enrichment limits and sanctions relief. Any perceived change in US posture could empower hardliners in Tehran who oppose the deal, analysts say.
The Israeli prime minister has long been a vocal critic of the Iran nuclear accord, arguing that it fails to address Tehran’s ballistic missile programme or regional destabilisation. Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on the specifics of the call, but a statement said that the two leaders “discussed matters of mutual concern, including Iran”.
The White House has not issued any official readout of the conversation. However, a national security council spokesperson said that the president “continues to listen to a range of viewpoints” on Iran policy.
The episode underscores the persistent tension within the Trump administration over how to handle Iran, and the influence of external actors on the president’s decision-making. It also raises questions about the durability of the diplomatic process, which has already survived multiple near-collapses.
European diplomats have expressed growing unease about the unpredictability of US policy. A senior EU diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the phone call was “unhelpful” and warned that it could be exploited by opponents of the deal in both Washington and Tehran.
For now, US negotiators remain in Vienna for the next round of talks, but the mood is said to be cautious. One participant described the atmosphere as “fragile” after the Trump-Netanyahu call.
The implications of any breakdown in diplomacy are significant. A resumption of hostilities or a return to sanctions could destabilise the broader Middle East, where Iran’s influence is already a flashpoint in multiple conflicts.
The coming days will test whether the administration can maintain a unified front, or whether the phone call has permanently fractured the president’s confidence in his own diplomatic team.
