Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday (March 23, 2026) that he spoke with Donald Trump, saying that the U.S. President believed U.S.-Israeli military gains in Iran could be converted into a negotiated agreement that protected Israel's interests. Read: Iran-Israel war LIVE"We will protect our vital interests under any circumstances," he said, adding: "At the same time, we continue to strike both in Iran and in Lebanon." Mr. Netanyahu reiterated that the ongoing strikes were “crushing the missile programme and the nuclear programme” of Iran and also “inflicting heavy damage on Hezbollah”. Mr. Netanyahu’s comments came shortly after Trump announced “very good” talks with an unnamed Iranian official. The Axios news outlet, citing an unnamed Israeli official, named Mr. Trump’s interlocutor as Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s Speaker of Parliament, who is one of the most prominent non-clerical figures in Tehran.

Source: The Hindu March 24, 2026 09:46 UTC