UPDATE 5-Trump tells Netanyahu he will continue talks with Iran to see if deal possible

President ‌Donald ​Trump held talks with Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss renewed U.S. nuclear talks with Iran, and said he told the Israeli prime minister that negotiations with Tehran would continue to see if a deal can be ‌reached. Netanyahu had been expected to push for Trump to widen talks with Iran beyond its nuclear program to include limits on Tehran's missile arsenal and other security threats. In their seventh meeting since Trump returned to office last year, Netanyahu - whose visit was more muted than usual and closed to the press - was ‌looking to influence the next round of U.S. discussions with Iran following nuclear negotiations held in Oman last Friday. The two leaders met for ‌nearly three hours. Trump has threatened strikes on Iran if no agreement is reached, while Tehran has vowed to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war. He has repeatedly voiced support for a secure Israel, a longstanding U.S. ally and arch-foe of Iran.

In media interviews on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his warning, saying that while he believes Iran wants a deal, he would do "something ⁠very tough" ​if it refused. "There was nothing definitive ⁠reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated," Trump said in a social media post after the meeting with ⁠Netanyahu. "If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference."

TRUMP SAYS NO TO IRANIAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS, MISSILES Trump told Fox Business in an interview ​broadcast on Tuesday that a good deal with Iran would mean "no nuclear weapons, no missiles," without elaborating. He also told Axios he was considering ⁠sending a second aircraft carrier strike group as part of a major U.S. buildup near Iran.

Israel fears that the U.S. might pursue a narrow nuclear deal that does not include restrictions ⁠on ​Iran's ballistic missile program or an end to Iranian support for armed proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, according to people familiar with the matter. Israeli officials have urged the U.S. not to trust Iran's promises. The two leaders had also been expected to discuss potential military action if diplomacy with ⁠Iran fails, one source said.

Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions but has ⁠ruled out linking the issue to missiles. "The ⁠Islamic Republic's missile capabilities are non-negotiable," Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said on Wednesday.