From Worthynews.com
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
JERUSALEM / WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met Tuesday in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, underscoring deep skepticism in Israel and Washington over the prospects for a deal with Iran, even as diplomatic efforts continue ahead of planned talks later this week.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu told Witkoff that “Iran has repeatedly proven it cannot be trusted to keep its commitments,” stressing that Israel remains unconvinced Tehran will honor any agreement reached through negotiations. The meeting, which lasted more than three hours, included senior Israeli security officials, among them Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, and Mossad Director David Barnea, as well as U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
Netanyahu also reiterated Israel’s position that Hamas must be disarmed, Gaza fully demilitarized, and Israel’s war objectives completed before any reconstruction can proceed. He emphasized that the Palestinian Authority will play no role in Gaza’s future governance and cited what Israel says are serious violations by terrorist groups, including the alleged use of UNRWA equipment to conceal weapons.
The Jerusalem meeting came as the United States and Iran weigh renewed diplomatic engagement, with discussions tentatively scheduled for Friday, originally planned for Istanbul. Multiple reports indicate that Iran has signaled through intermediaries a willingness to discuss its nuclear program and possibly consider compromises, while deferring talks on ballistic missiles and proxy forces to later stages. Iranian officials reportedly believe that reaching a nuclear agreement could deter President Donald Trump from authorizing military action and restrain potential Israeli strikes on Iranian missile infrastructure.
Despite these signals, assessments in Israel and the U.S. remain pessimistic, with officials privately judging the likelihood of a meaningful agreement as extremely low. Complicating matters further, Iranian officials have threatened to withdraw from the talks altogether, while pushing to change both the venue and scope of negotiations, favoring Oman over Turkey and limiting discussions strictly to nuclear issues.
Tensions escalated sharply Tuesday when U.S. forces shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone that approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in international waters. According to U.S. Central Command, the drone continued toward the carrier despite de-escalatory measures and was destroyed by an F-35C fighter jet. Hours later, Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats and an Iranian drone harassed a U.S.-flagged commercial tanker in the Strait of Hormuz before a U.S. destroyer escorted the vessel to safety. No injuries or damage were reported.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said talks with Iran are still expected to proceed, even as President Trump continues to build up U.S. military forces in the region. Trump confirmed that negotiations are ongoing, saying Iran “would like to do something,” while warning that failure to reach a deal could again invite decisive U.S. action, referencing last year’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Regional diplomats say senior officials from Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkey were expected to participate or observe, though Iran is now pressing for strictly bilateral talks with Washington. Trump’s senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner is also expected to be involved in the discussions.
Analysts warn that Iran’s recent provocations may reflect internal divisions within Tehran, with hardline factions seeking to undermine diplomacy. Nevertheless, U.S. officials say diplomacy remains on the table, even as the administration signals it is prepared to act militarily if negotiations fail and Iranian aggression continues.
As one senior Israeli official put it following Netanyahu’s meeting with Witkoff, any agreement that does not fully halt Iran’s nuclear enrichment, ballistic missile development, and support for regional terror proxies “is a bad agreement,” adding that Israel intends to exert significant influence over any U.S.-Iran deal now under consideration.
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