'Very inappropriate': Trump told Israeli PM Netanyahu not to strike Iran amid nuclear talks with US, stays hopeful for the deal

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (May 28) reiterated that nuclear talks with Iran are going well and revealed that he had spoken to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu against striking Iran amid talks. He added that there are two outcomes possible in the ongoing negotiations — one that is “violent,” which the US would rather avoid, and the second, a deal.

“We’ll find out if that means anything,” he said to reporters in the Oval Office.

“I think we’re going to see something very sensible...People will be surprised by what’s happening there,” Trump added.

President Trump also acknowledged that he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against taking any actions that could threaten ongoing talks between the Trump administration and Iran over a new nuclear deal.

“Well, I’d like to be honest. Yes, I did. Next question, please?” Trump said when asked if he had warned Netanyahu against strikes. Trump added, “I didn't warn him. I told him it wasn't appropriate. There are good talks. It's not appropriate now. If we can solve it through a document.... blowing up the labs without anyone being in them - that would be better. I told him it wasn't appropriate because we are very close to a solution. But that could change at any moment. It could change over a phone call... But right now I think they want to make a deal and it could save a lot of lives."

Iran-US nuclear talks

Meanwhile, Iran said it would be able to survive if negotiations with the US over its nuclear programme fail to secure a deal. "It's not like we will die of hunger if they refuse to negotiate with us or impose sanctions," Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian was quoted as saying by state media about the talks with Washington. “We will find a way to survive.”

The negotiations aim to resolve a decades-long dispute over Iran's nuclear ambitions, and Trump has threatened Iran with crippling economic sanctions and bombing if no new nuclear agreement is reached. The fifth round of Oman-mediated talks between the US and Iran was held last week in Rome. While Iran has stated that it will not suspend its enrichment of uranium to secure a deal on its nuclear programme with the United States, America said it cannot accept any Iranian enrichment.