US President Donald Trump met Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer on Thursday and discussed the nuclear talks with Iran and the Israel-Hamas War, Axios reported, citing two sources briefed on the meeting.
The meeting was held at the White House, which was not made public by the US or Israel, according to Axios.
Dermer met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday and had several meetings in the White House, including one with Trump on Thursday, Axios reported.
The reported meetings took place ahead of the fourth round of US-Iran nuclear talks slated to begin in Oman on Sunday.
The Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, will lead the US delegation, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will lead the Iranian delegation.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Saturday and will participate in the Iran-Arab World Dialogue summit in Doha, a ministry spokesperson said on Friday, ahead of possible US-Iran talks on Sunday.
Araghchi will also discuss the Israel-Hamas War, according to Al Araby Al Jadeed.
The reported meetings also preceded Trump’s upcoming Middle East tour, which will begin on Monday.
Trump will be visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, but will not come to Israel as part of the trip.
The US had ‘blindsided’ Israel over Houthi ceasefire announcement
The reported meetings also came after Israel was “blindsided” by Trump’s Tuesday announcement that the US will stop bombing the Houthis in Yemen after claiming that the Iran-aligned group agreed to stop interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East.
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