Jerusalem, May 24 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he and US President Donald Trump agreed on eliminating nuclear danger from Iran for any final agreement.

“I spoke last night with President Trump about the memorandum of understanding to reopen the Straits of Hormuz and the upcoming negotiations toward a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program,” Netanyahu said on social media platform X.

He expressed his appreciation to President Trump for his “unwavering commitment” to Israel’s security, including during Operation Roaring Lion and Epic Fury, when American and Israeli forces fought shoulder to shoulder against the Iranian threat.

“President Trump and I agreed that any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear danger. That means dismantling Iran’s nuclear enrichment sites and removing its enriched nuclear material from its territory,” Netanyahu highlighted.

He said that President Trump also reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.

“The partnership between us and our two countries has been proven on the battlefield and has never been stronger,” Netanyahu said, adding that “My policy, like President Trump’s, remains unchanged: Iran will not have nuclear weapons.”

Meanwhile, earlier on Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that “significant progress” has been made in diplomatic efforts involving the US and Iran, while indicating that “good news” regarding the Strait of Hormuz could emerge in the coming hours.

While addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Rubio said, “I do think perhaps there is the possibility that over the next few hours the world will get some good news, at least with regards to the Straits and with regards to a process that can ultimately leave us where the President (Trump) wants us to be and that is a world that no longer has to be in fear or worry about an Iranian nuclear weapon and so, I do think there’s some good news on that front, but not final news on that front. But perhaps a little bit later today, we’ll have more to say. But some progress has been made. I don’t want to downplay that. But I also want to caveat it by saying we still have some work to do; we will see.”

Rubio reiterated Trump’s stance that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.

–IANS

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