Trump and Netanyahu Tense Call Over Future of Iran Conflict

Washington — May 21, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a heated phone conversation this week about the next steps in the confrontation with Iran, U.S. media reported. According to Axios, Netanyahu was furious after the call and pressed for a resumption of strikes aimed at further degrading Iran’s military capabilities and damaging critical infrastructure to weaken the regime.

Trump, however, has signaled a preference for pursuing a diplomatic path. He told reporters that he postponed planned strikes that had been scheduled for Tuesday after requests from Arab states, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Regional mediators — led by Qatar and Pakistan with input from other parties — reportedly drafted a revised peace memo intended to narrow the differences between Washington and Tehran.

Netanyahu remains skeptical of the negotiations and favors military action. Trump has said he believes a deal is possible but that he is prepared to resume strikes if talks collapse. Speaking at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, he framed the choice bluntly: either the parties will sign an agreement or the U.S. will complete its military objectives. Later he described the situation as being “right on the borderline” between securing a deal and returning to hostilities.

The dispute highlights a split in approach between Israel, which wants immediate military pressure, and the U.S., which is temporarily leaning toward diplomacy while keeping force as an option.