Trump and Netanyahu clash over fresh Iran strike
Netanyahu reportedly wants to strike soon, while Trump is leaving room for negotiations.
Follow-up to: Iran threatens immediate response to fresh attack Saturday, 31 October 2026, 13:26
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US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone on Saturday about the next step in the war with Iran. According to US and Israeli sources, the conversation was difficult, but it has not been confirmed that a decision was made on new attacks.
Netanyahu is said to have urged Trump to resume military action against Iran soon after Tuesday’s US midterm elections. According to the same sources, Trump wants for now to leave room for diplomatic contacts, although he is keeping open the possibility of new attacks.
The information comes from Axios, which is basing its report on one US and one Israeli source. The White House and Netanyahu’s office declined to comment. As a result, it cannot be independently established exactly which proposals were on the table during the conversation.
According to Axios, Qatar is once again trying to get talks between Washington and Tehran under way. According to Axios, Qatari mediators spoke to Iranian officials on Sunday for the third consecutive day. According to Axios, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there was still no agreement and that Iran first wanted answers to outstanding questions.
Trump said on Saturday that, in his view, the negotiations were going well, but added that Iran was not reliable, in his view. At the same time, he said the United States still had to target several Iranian nuclear sites. Those remarks are political statements by the US president and do not constitute confirmation that a new military operation has begun.
The tension is also affecting other countries in the region. AP reported on Sunday that Iran had designated the British navy and air force as terrorist organisations and labelled the British intelligence service MI6 hostile. Iran accuses the United Kingdom of supporting US and Israeli attacks; London has not agreed to this. The report originated with Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
Whether the diplomatic route holds could also have consequences for European governments. A new attack could affect the security of US and European interests in the region, but at present there is no confirmation of a concrete decision to attack. The essence of the news is therefore the clash between pressure for military action and attempts to resume negotiations.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- According to sources, Trump and Netanyahu spoke by phone about Iran.
- There is no officially confirmed decision on a new attack.
- Qatar is trying to resume talks between the United States and Iran.
Left
Arguments Military action without a demonstrable diplomatic end goal increases the risk of civilian casualties, regional escalation and prolonged US involvement.
Values International law, restraint in the use of military force and diplomatic conflict management.
Consequences A new attack could undermine negotiations and further destabilise the region.
Centre
Arguments Diplomacy should take priority as long as it can serve a credible security objective, but governments must also prepare for the possibility that Iran will not cooperate.
Values Security, proportionality, cooperation between allies and accountable decision-making.
Consequences A combination of negotiations and deterrence could create room for manoeuvre, but it also increases the risk of misunderstandings.
Right
Arguments Iran must not be allowed to further develop its nuclear capabilities or regional influence; a credible military threat may be necessary to force concessions.
Values National security, deterrence and the protection of allies.
Consequences Too much delay could strengthen Iran, while military action without a broad plan could trigger a larger war.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core is based on a recent Axios report and supplemented with context from AP. Unconfirmed elements are explicitly presented as claims attributed to sources.
- confirmed Trump and Netanyahu spoke by phone on Saturday about Iran. — Axios reports the conversation based on one US and one Israeli source. source
- confirmed Netanyahu is said to have advocated swift military action, while Trump wants to give negotiations room. — Axios attributes this to the sources it consulted. source
- confirmed Iran has designated the British navy and air force as terrorist organisations. — AP reports this, citing Iran’s state news agency IRNA. source
Editor's note
The phone call and its contents are based on sources cited by Axios; both governments declined to comment. A new US or Israeli decision to attack has not been confirmed.Sources
The story so far
- Saturday, 31 October 2026, 13:26 Iran threatens immediate response to fresh attack
- Saturday, 31 October 2026, 16:26 Iranian negotiators travel to Doha for fresh peace talks
- Sunday, 1 November 2026, 17:46 Gulf states reportedly prepare for possible escalation
- Sunday, 1 November 2026, 22:47 Trump and Netanyahu clash over fresh Iran strike (this article)