Trump Says Netanyahu Has No Choice But to Accept US-Iran Deal

JAKARTA - President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must accept any nuclear deal the United States reaches with Iran, asserting that only he controls Washington's foreign policy decisions.

"He will have no choice," Trump said in a telephone interview with the British-based Financial Times, Anadolu (8/6) reported.

"I decide. I decide everything. He doesn't decide," Trump said.

President Trump's statement to the daily came after Iran launched a ballistic missile at a target in Israel, the first since the ceasefire reached in early April.

In a previous comment after the attack, President Trump had told US broadcaster Fox News, He would instruct PM Netanyahu not to retaliate against Iran.

Subsequent reports by the Axios media and Israeli media showed the two had completed a telephone conversation on the issue.

Despite the missile attack, President Trump said he would continue to pursue a deal with Tehran.

"It won't affect the deal," he said. "The deal may work on its own merits, or not, but this won't affect anything," said President Trump.

If negotiations ultimately fail, President Trump said he would consider military action against Iran or a more intensive economic blockade.

"That means we may have to go in and take care of the rest of the territory that we haven't taken care of militarily," he said, adding that the blockade proved more damaging than military attacks.

It is known that the Iranian attack occurred after Israel repeatedly attacked targets in Lebanon despite several US-mediated ceasefires.

This includes an attack on Hezbollah positions in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Sunday that triggered an Iranian missile response.

Tehran has stated that Israel's permanent ceasefire in Lebanon would be a prerequisite for any agreement with the US.