'We are still active...': Netanyahu issues first response after Trump announces 5-day halt on Iran strikes
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'We are still active...': Netanyahu issues first response after Trump announces 5-day halt on Iran strikes")
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump at White House in 2025 Photograph: (AFP)
Netanyahu said any deal to end the US-Israel-Iran war must protect Israel’s “vital interests” as Trump claimed talks with Tehran are underway. While Israel continues strikes in Iran and Lebanon, Iran denied negotiations, highlighting ongoing tensions despite diplomatic signals.
In his first response after the truce announced by US President Donald Trump in the ongoing war with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening (Mar 23) said that it would protect Jerusalem’s “vital interests.” In a video statement, Netanyahu said that he spoke with Israel's “friend” Trump in a phone call on Monday, and that the two discussed the president’s desire to end the fighting with Iran through a deal. Netanyahu claimed in his statement that he was told by Trump that the POTUS "believes that there is a chance to leverage the massive achievements of the IDF and the US military in order to achieve the goals of the war through an agreement — an agreement that protects vital interests."
Netanyahu also said that Israel will continue to strike both Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah. “We are crushing the missile program and the nuclear program, and continuing to strike Hezbollah hard. Only days ago, we eliminated two more nuclear scientists, and our arm is still outstretched," Netanyahu said. Reports indicate that he was continuously in touch with the Trump administration before the US president announced the truce. He knew about contacts between Washington and Tehran. According to Channel 12 Israel first learned of the potential negotiations on Thursday (Mar 19). The Israeli PM reportedly spoke to US Vice President JD Vance on Monday (Mar 23) regarding the efforts to renew talks with Iran. Trump had earlier said that the decision to end the war with Iran will be taken “mutually” with Netanyahu.
What Trump announced on Monday?
Trump on Monday (Mar 23) abruptly announced a five-day halt on planned military strikes against Iran's energy infrastructure and power plants and hailed "very good" talks with an unidentified Iranian official. In a surprise disclosure, Trump said that Iran and the US had “constructive talks” that would continue through the week, adding that he has instructed the Department of War to postpone the military strikes on the country. This came ahead of a Monday night deadline imposed by Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane or see the US "obliterate" its power plants.
How Iran reacted?
Tehran unequivocally denied the claims made by Trump. Ibrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for Iran’s National Security Commission, dismissed Trump’s remarks as ‘lies’ and ‘nonsense’, asserting that there is ‘no logic to negotiating under these conditions’. Rezaei added that Iran views the current US posture as coercive, arguing that “the enemy understands only the language of force and missiles.” Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed reports of negotiations as “fake news” and accused him of manipulating energy markets. Tehran portrayed the US decision as a sign of weakness rather than goodwill. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei said, “Messages from the US, sent via friendly countries to seek talks and end the war, were received and answered in line with Iran’s principles. We warn that any attack on Iran’s critical infrastructure, especially energy facilities, would trigger a swift and decisive response from its armed forces. We dismiss claims of any negotiations with Washington over the past 24 days, and Iran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz and the terms for ending the war remain unchanged.”
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.
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