Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Netanyahu's office said on Saturday. The leaders are set to focus their discussions on the ongoing negotiations with Iran.
The announcement comes after Iranian and U.S. officials held indirect nuclear talks in Muscat on Friday. Representatives from both sides indicated that additional rounds of discussion are expected in the near term.
A regional diplomat who received a briefing from Tehran reported that, during the Muscat negotiations, Iran insisted on its "right to enrich uranium." The diplomat also indicated that Tehrans missile capabilities were not a subject raised in those discussions.
Iranian officials have made clear that they will not put their missile forces - which are among the largest in the Middle East - on the negotiating table. They have stated that Iran seeks recognition of its entitlement to enrich uranium.
Responding to those positions, Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying: "The Prime Minister believes that any negotiations must include limiting ballistic missiles and halting support for the Iranian axis." The statement frames Israel's stance that talks should address both missile limits and Iran's backing of regional allied groups.
The timing of the Washington meeting follows the indirect discussions in Muscat and the public indications from both sides that the diplomatic process will continue. Details beyond the positions outlined by the participants and the quoted statement from Netanyahu's office were not provided in the announcement.
This engagement places nuclear enrichment and missile policy at the center of a diplomatic exchange between Israel and the United States, with further indirect talks between Tehran and Washington anticipated to follow.