President Donald Trump said Sunday that the decision on when to end the war with Iran will ultimately be made in coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a brief telephone interview with The Times of Israel, Trump said the two leaders have been in regular contact since the war began with a coordinated U.S.-Israeli strike on Feb. 28 that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“I think it’s mutual… a little bit,” Trump said when asked who would determine when the war ends. “We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account.”
The president suggested that while Netanyahu would have input, the final call would rest with Washington. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday that U.S. officials expect the conflict to last roughly four to six weeks.
Trump said the military campaign was a preemptive move to prevent Iran from attacking Israel. “Iran was going to destroy Israel and everything else around it,” he said. “We’ve worked together. We’ve destroyed a country that wanted to destroy Israel.”
The interview came shortly after Iranian state media announced that the country’s clerical leadership had selected Mojtaba Khamenei, the slain leader’s son, as Iran’s next supreme leader. Trump declined to comment directly on the appointment, saying only, “We’ll see what happens.”
Earlier Sunday, Trump told ABC News that any new Iranian leader would struggle to remain in power without the approval of the United States.
The president also renewed his call for Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, who is currently on trial in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
“Bibi Netanyahu should be given that pardon immediately,” Trump said. “We want Bibi to be focused on the war, not on a ridiculous pardon.”
Herzog’s office has said the matter is being reviewed by Israel’s Justice Ministry and stressed that Israel’s legal system operates independently.
“Bibi’s done a great job,” Trump added. “He’s been a wartime prime minister.”
The president also suggested that Iran’s weakening could have ripple effects across the region, including among Tehran-backed terrorist groups.
“Many people will disarm because of this,” Trump said, referring to Hamas and other Iranian-backed groups. “Right now Iran is in a position it’s never known before, and it’s only going to get worse for them.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
Trump should tell these liberal lefty Israeli Supreme Court leaders he will remove the iron domes if they don’t pardon Nateyahu. He removes them people will be getting hit left and right and maybe the masses will wake up and get rid of these sick lefty politicians.