The Trump administration said Friday it is confident Israel will ultimately accept the emerging deal between the United States and Iran, despite continued skepticism in Jerusalem and concern that the agreement may fall short of Israel’s expectations. A senior U.S. administration official said the White House believes Israel’s doubts will ease once the full terms of the memorandum of understanding are understood, especially the condition that Iran must first deliver on its commitments before the United States provides any benefits. The official suggested the details have not yet been fully shared with regional allies.
President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, according to the official. The call came as Netanyahu has remained wary of any diplomatic breakthrough with Tehran. Israeli officials and sources have said Netanyahu has grown increasingly worried in recent weeks that Washington could accept a deal that Israel would regard as too lenient and inconsistent with the objectives of the conflict.
The administration official acknowledged that Israel has expressed “some skepticism” about what they described as inaccurate or misreported details circulating about the agreement. Still, the official said the U.S. expects the eventual deal, if finalized, to be one that “everybody in the region” can accept. That framing appeared aimed at easing fears among U.S. allies that the agreement could leave Iran with too much room to maneuver.
The official also addressed the risk that ongoing tensions in Lebanon could undermine the diplomatic effort. They did not rule out future Israeli military action there, but said responsibility for escalation would lie with Hezbollah and Iran. According to the administration, the broader regional peace framework includes Lebanon, Israel and the Gulf states, while preserving the right of self-defense for the parties involved.
“If the Iranians don’t honor their end of the obligation, I wouldn’t expect the Israelis to not respond,” the official said, underscoring that any deal would depend on Iranian compliance and that Israel would retain the option to react if Tehran fails to meet its commitments.
The remarks highlight the delicate balance the Trump administration is trying to maintain as it pursues diplomacy with Iran while reassuring Israel, its closest regional partner, that its security interests will not be sacrificed. The evolving negotiations come amid deep Israeli mistrust of Iran, persistent regional instability and concerns that any weakness in the agreement could trigger renewed confrontation.
