Trump Reveals Netanyahu Nearly Derailed US-Iran Peace Deal

United States President Donald Trump has revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nearly derailed a peace agreement between the US and Iran. Trump criticised Netanyahu as ‘a very difficult person’. The disclosure was made by Trump in an exclusive interview with the New York Times, as reported on Monday. The interview was released after Pakistani mediators announced on Monday that the US and Iran had reached a peace deal. Trump, in a telephone interview with the NYT on Sunday afternoon US time, stated the peace deal was achieved despite objections from Netanyahu. The US President even claimed he had saved Israel from annihilation by nuclear weapons. He also criticised Netanyahu for launching an attack on Lebanon on Sunday morning, which he said almost scuppered the final agreement. The Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs killed at least three people and injured 15 others, despite a ceasefire. Trump asserted the Israeli attack ‘should not have happened’ when the US and Iran were close to reaching a peace agreement. He added that the Israeli PM should be thanking the US for securing the peace deal with Iran. ‘He’s a very difficult person,’ Trump remarked, referring to Netanyahu. ‘And to be honest, he should be extremely grateful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had nuclear weapons, Israel would not last two hours,’ the US President said. The US-Iran peace deal was first announced by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday morning. Sharif said Washington and Tehran had agreed to an ‘immediate and permanent’ cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. Trump later confirmed the peace deal in a separate statement via his Truth Social platform. He announced the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened and the US naval blockade lifted. ‘The deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now done. Congratulations to all parties!’ Trump said in his statement. Trump also signalled the resumption of maritime traffic and energy shipments through the strategic waterway, stating: ‘Ships of the world, start your engines. Let the oil flow!’ The official signing ceremony for the US-Iran peace deal, according to Sharif, is scheduled for 19 June in Geneva, Switzerland.