Lacking leverage over Trump, Israel stays quiet on US-Iran talks
Israel has remained publicly silent regarding the potential resumption of U.S.-Iran talks, reflecting a perceived lack of influence over Washington's current diplomatic strategy. Analysts suggest that Israel was not consulted before President Trump decided to pause military strikes.
Why it matters
This highlights a potential shift in the U.S.-Israel strategic alliance regarding Iran, suggesting that Israel's influence on U.S. foreign policy may be waning.
US President Donald Trump (C) is welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport on Oct. 13, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel. — Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Subscribe to listen عربي 简体中文 Español TEL AVIV — President Donald Trump's decision to pause strikes on Iran and pursue diplomacy once again has underscored a difficult reality for Israel — despite months of pressing Washington to sustain military pressure on Iran, Israeli officials appear to have had little sway in the White House.
“The Israeli leadership realizes it has little to no influence over decision-making in Washington on the Iran file. That is why the government has not reacted publicly to reports about the potential resumption of talks between Washington and Tehran,” Raz Zimmt, director of the Iran and the Shiite Axis Research Program at the Institute for National Security Studies, told Al-Monitor.
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