- US President Trump criticised Israeli PM Netanyahu as a very difficult guy
- Trump said Israel's existence was threatened if Iran got a nuclear weapon
- Trump took credit for remaking the Middle East via Iran attack and blockade
US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him "a very difficult guy" and warning that Israel's existence would have been imperilled had Iran succeeded in developing a nuclear weapon.
The remarks came as Trump celebrated brokering the US-Iran peace deal on his 80th birthday, the New York Times reported.
"He's a very difficult guy, and to be honest with you, he should be very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn't be around for two hours," Trump told NYT in a 28-minute phone interview initiated from the White House residence on Sunday.
The comments were directed at Netanyahu, whom Trump excoriated for mounting attacks that nearly derailed the final agreement.
Trump, speaking as his family gathered in the background for a birthday dinner, used the interview to take credit for remaking the Middle East through his decision to attack Iran in late February and the subsequent naval blockade of its ports.
He praised Chinese President Xi Jinping for not attempting to break the blockade.
"He was a total gentleman. He didn't send a tanker, along with 20 destroyers on each side of it, to try and break up the blockade," Trump said of Xi, whom he visited in China last month.
ALSO READ: Trump Warns Of Military Attacks On Iran If Tehran Fails To Reach Final Nuclear Accord With US
On the nuclear question, Trump told NYT that negotiations were ongoing over whether Iran would suspend uranium enrichment for 20 years, though he hinted he might settle for 15 years. He insisted Iran would be "forever limited" to enriching at levels that "could never be used by the military," and said the new accord would provide for near-instant inspection access — a claim Iran has not publicly confirmed.
Trump also warned that if Iran failed to reach a final nuclear accord, he would either restart military strikes on Tehran or position the US as "the guardian of the Middle East" in exchange for 20% of the region's revenues, the Times reported.
G7 leaders from France, Germany, Italy and Britain welcomed the agreement, calling it "a moment of opportunity to restore regional stability," as Trump prepared to depart for the summit in France.
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