WASHINGTON, D.C., March 9 (ANI): U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that the decision on when to conclude the ongoing conflict with Iran will be a “mutual” determination made in coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a report by The Times of Israel.
During a telephone interview with The Times of Israel, the U.S. president claimed that the Islamic Republic was on the verge of destroying Israel prior to the current military intervention. He asserted that “Iran was going to destroy Israel and everything else around it. We’ve worked together. We’ve destroyed a country that wanted to destroy Israel.”
When asked whether the authority to halt the campaign rested solely with Washington or if the Israeli leadership held equal influence, Trump suggested a collaborative approach. “I think it’s mutual, a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account,” he said, indicating he would retain the final decision while considering Netanyahu’s input.
Addressing the possibility of Israel continuing military operations independently if the United States decided to end its strikes, Trump dismissed the likelihood of such a scenario. The Times of Israel reported that the president declined to elaborate on the hypothetical situation, stating only, “I don’t think it’s going to be necessary.”
While the White House has indicated the conflict could last between four and six weeks, Trump has avoided committing to a fixed timeline. His remarks underscore the close coordination between the two nations following the joint military operation launched on February 28, which resulted in the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The interview took place shortly after Tehran announced that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the former leader, had been selected as the new supreme authority. According to The Times of Israel, Trump refrained from offering detailed commentary on the appointment, saying only, “We’ll see what happens.”
This diplomatic stance follows earlier warnings from the U.S. president to ABC News, in which he suggested the new Iranian leadership would not “last long” without White House approval.
Beyond the battlefield, Trump also weighed in on Israeli domestic politics, renewing his calls for a legal reprieve for Netanyahu. The U.S. president criticized Israeli President Isaac Herzog for failing to grant a pardon to Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
“Bibi Netanyahu should be given that pardon immediately. I think [Herzog is] doing a terrible thing by not giving it. We want Bibi to be focused on the war, not on a ridiculous pardon,” Trump told The Times of Israel.
In response, Herzog’s office maintained that Israel “is a sovereign state governed by the rule of law,” noting that the pardon request is being processed through the Justice Ministry.
Despite past friction between the two leaders, Trump praised his current partnership with Netanyahu, saying, “We’ve done a great job together, like what we’ve done with Iran.”
Reinforcing his justification for the eight-day-old war, Trump claimed the intervention prevented a broader regional catastrophe. The Times of Israel quoted him as saying, “Iran was going to destroy Israel and everything else around it, and now look what we have—we have them being destroyed.”
The president further credited his and Netanyahu’s leadership for Israel’s continued survival, adding that “[if] Bibi wasn’t around, Israel would not exist today.” He also suggested that Iran’s weakening could influence regional proxies such as Hamas, potentially leading to their disarmament.
“Many people will disarm because of [the war against Iran],” Trump predicted, adding that “Iran is in a position that it’s never known before, and it’s only going to get worse for them.”
He reiterated his call for Herzog to grant Netanyahu a pardon, saying the Israeli president should “give him the pardon right now.” (ANI)
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