‘Negotiations Must Continue’: Trump After Meeting Netanyahu, Reminds Iran Of 'Midnight Hammer'

Last Updated:February 12, 2026, 00:58 IST

Trump said he told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting at the White House that nuclear talks with Iran must continue.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue diplomatic talks with Iran over its nuclear programme, signalling that Washington still prefers a negotiated solution.

“I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform after a three-hour meeting with Netanyahu at the White House.

“There was nothing definitive reached other than that," he added.

Trump said he told Netanyahu that a deal with Iran would be his preferred outcome. “If it can be consummated, that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be," he wrote.

The US President also warned Tehran against rejecting diplomacy again.

“Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible," he said, recalling the 12-day war between Israel and Iran where US also took part and bombed Iranian nuclear plants.

The meeting marked the seventh interaction between Trump and Netanyahu since the US leader returned to office. According to a separate AFP report, the Israeli prime minister travelled to Washington primarily to push for a tougher American stance on Iran.

Netanyahu wants the United States to widen negotiations with Tehran to include limits on its ballistic missile programme and regional military activities, the report said. Iran, however, has repeatedly rejected any expansion of talks beyond its nuclear programme.

Trump has kept up both diplomatic and military pressure on Tehran. In an interview earlier this week, he warned that Washington could take “very tough" action if talks fail, and hinted at the possibility of additional US military deployments to the region.

Meanwhile, regional diplomatic activity is also under way. According to Reuters, Trump held a phone call on Wednesday with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, during which the two leaders discussed efforts to reduce tensions and support dialogue between Washington and Tehran.

Qatar has been playing a key role in mediating between the United States and Iran, including hosting indirect talks in Oman last week aimed at reviving negotiations.

Trump said his discussions with Netanyahu also touched on the situation in Gaza and broader regional issues, claiming there was “tremendous progress" in West Asia (Middle East).

“There is truly peace in the Middle East," Trump said in his statement, without offering specifics.

News world ‘Negotiations Must Continue’: Trump After Meeting Netanyahu, Reminds Iran Of 'Midnight Hammer'

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