Trump, Netanyahu discussed new Iran deal effort in difficult call - Axios

President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed a new effort to reach a deal with Iran in a difficult call on Tuesday, Axios reported, citing three sources.

The report said Qatar and Pakistan, with input from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, drafted a revised peace memo aimed at bridging gaps between Washington and Tehran.

Trump told Netanyahu that mediators were working on a “letter of intent” that the US and Iran would sign to formally end the war and begin a 30-day negotiation period on issues including Iran’s nuclear program and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the report said, citing a US source briefed on the call.

Two Israeli sources cited by Axios said the leaders disagreed over the way forward, while the US source said Netanyahu’s “hair was on fire” after the call.

Netanyahu has been highly worried at previous stages of the negotiations, even as deals failed to materialize, the report said citing the Israeli sources.

The report cited two Arab officials and an Israeli source as saying that Qatar recently presented the US and Iran with a new draft. A fourth source said there was no separate Qatari draft and that Qatar was trying to bridge gaps from the previous Pakistani proposal, according to the report.

One Arab official said Qatar sent a delegation to Tehran earlier this week for talks with Iranian officials about the latest draft.

The aim is to secure more tangible Iranian commitments on steps regarding its nuclear program and more specific US commitments on the gradual release of frozen Iranian funds, the report added, citing an Arab official.

All three sources said it was unclear whether Iran would accept the new draft or significantly shift its position.