Trump signalled support for Israeli strike on Iran missile programme if nuclear talks collapse: Report

Trump told Netanyahu in December he would support Israeli strikes on Iran's missile program

US President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a December meeting that Washington would support Israeli military action against Iran’s ballistic-missile programme if negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear activities collapse, CBS News reported, citing sources familiar with the discussion.

According to the report, US national security officials have since examined how America could assist in such an operation. Planning has focused less on whether Israel would act and more on the nature of US backing, including aerial refuelling for Israeli jets and diplomatic efforts to secure overflight access along potential routes.

However, regional states including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have publicly indicated they would not allow their airspace to be used for strikes on Iran or retaliatory attacks launched from Iranian territory.

The report surfaced as indirect US-Iran negotiations resumed. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travelled to Geneva ahead of a second round of talks, where he is expected to meet Swiss and Omani counterparts and International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi.

Negotiations restarted in Muscat on February 6 following the collapse of earlier diplomacy after last year’s 12-day conflict, triggered by Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Uncertainty persists over Iran’s stockpile of more than 400 kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity.

Netanyahu said any future agreement must require Iran to remove all enriched uranium and dismantle its enrichment capacity entirely.

Iran has indicated conditional flexibility. Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC that Tehran could consider limits on its uranium stockpile if sanctions are lifted. “If we see the sincerity on their (American) part, I am sure we will be on a road to have an agreement," he said.

Trump, while pursuing diplomacy, has also warned Tehran of severe consequences if talks fail and recently said he had “insisted” negotiations be given a chance.