Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making an urgent trip to Washington to lobby President Trump against striking a new nuclear deal with Iran, as US-Iran negotiations show promising progress.

High-Stakes Nuclear Diplomacy

The Israeli leader moved up his planned February 19th visit after learning about productive discussions between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also participated in talks, signaling the administration’s serious commitment to diplomatic engagement. The presence of America’s top Middle East military commander served as a reminder that military options remain on the table if negotiations fail.

Netanyahu’s primary concern centers on preventing any agreement that excludes Iran’s ballistic missile program. The Israeli prime minister successfully convinced Trump to withdraw from the Obama-era nuclear deal in 2018, but now faces the challenge of influencing a president exploring renewed diplomacy with Tehran.

Political Calculations at Play

Israeli politics expert Guy Ziv from American University notes that Iran has always ranked above Palestinian issues in Netanyahu’s priorities. The timing coincides with Israel’s upcoming October elections, where Netanyahu’s political future remains uncertain. Appearing alongside the popular Trump could provide crucial domestic political benefits for the embattled prime minister.

What This Means for America

The Quincy Institute’s Trita Parsi warns that Israeli demands for zero uranium enrichment and missile restrictions could derail negotiations entirely. A 12-day conflict last June resulted in over 1,100 Iranian casualties and unprecedented US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Despite the Gaza ceasefire, violence continues, with 581 Palestinian deaths reported since Trump announced the October 10th agreement, raising questions about the effectiveness of current peace initiatives.