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Netanyahu tells Trump Israel won't be bound by Iran deal as US–Israel rift deepens

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told US President Donald Trump that Israel will not be bound by a recently reached US–Iran agreement, according to CNN, as reported on Thursday by an unnamed Israeli official.

The official said Netanyahu made the remarks during ongoing diplomatic discussions tied to a 60-day negotiation framework under the deal, and has sought to influence the final outcome through right-leaning media figures and US senators aligned with him.

According to the report, Netanyahu believes no final agreement will ultimately emerge and that Iran will not seriously accept restrictions on its nuclear program. 

The Israeli leader also reportedly made clear to Trump that Israel considers itself free to act independently of the accord, which includes provisions aimed at ending regional hostilities, including in Lebanon.

Tensions on the ground have continued alongside the diplomatic push. Lebanese state media reported that an Israeli drone strike on a car in southern Lebanon killed one person and critically injured another on Thursday.

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The reported remarks come as the US and Iran advance a 14-point memorandum of understanding, mediated by Pakistan, aimed at de-escalation and a structured path toward negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief. 

The agreement—described as the “Islamabad Memorandum”—was signed digitally by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Trump and is intended to guide a 60-day negotiating period.

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