US President Donald Trump said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "knows who the boss is," while indicating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested a meeting at the White House. The high-level talks are expected to take place as early as next week, immediately following President Trump's return from the upcoming NATO summit.
ALSO READ: Tankers U-Turn In Hormuz, With Some Taking Iran Route Instead
Speaking in a phone interview, Trump described his relationship with Netanyahu as "very good" but suggested he holds significant influence over the Israeli leader. "He knows who the boss is," Trump said, as reports emerged that Netanyahu had requested a meeting in Washington.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu called President Trump on Friday to congratulate him on the 250th Independence Day of the United States, using the conversation to emphasise that America is a "guarantor of global freedom" and that Israel greatly values the close relationship between the two nations, culminating in an agreement by both leaders to meet soon in the United States.
The proposed meeting would mark their first face-to-face talks since February, when the two leaders reportedly differed over strategy on Iran and broader regional security issues. In recent months, their relationship has also faced strains over US diplomatic efforts with Iran and Israel's military operations in Lebanon, even as both sides have continued to publicly characterise bilateral ties as strong.
Addressing developments in the Middle East, Trump said he was closely monitoring the situation in Iran, including the country's mourning period following the funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
ALSO READ: Iran's Envoy To China Says Beijing To Get Hormuz Concessions
In an interview with Axios, US President Donald Trump stated that he has been following the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated on the first day of the war in a joint US-Israeli operation.
He claimed that Iran was "begging to make a deal" with the United States but said diplomatic engagement had temporarily slowed during the mourning period.
He added that he was surprised to see mourners grieving because he believed people disliked the leader, musing, "Maybe it's fake tears."
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.