UPDATE 1-Trump renews Netanyahu pardon call, saying only Iran should be troubling him

U.S. President ​Donald Trump on Thursday called again on ​Israel's president to grant Prime Minister ‌Benjamin Netanyahu ​a pardon for corruption charges, saying the premier should have nothing on his mind but the war with Iran.

* Trump, referring to ‌Netanyahu by his nickname, said in an interview with Israel's N12 television news: "President Herzog must give Bibi a pardon today. I don't want there to be anything troubling Bibi other than the war with ‌Iran ... Herzog is a disgrace ... he promised me five times to give Bibi a pardon." * ‌President Isaac Herzog's office said in response that while Israel is at war, he is not dealing with the matter of Netanyahu's pardon request.

* Herzog added that he deeply respects Trump's contribution to Israel's security and his position ⁠on Iran ​but that Israel is a ⁠sovereign state that abides by the rule of law. * "The president will examine the request according to the law, the ⁠good of the state, his conscience and free of any internal or external pressure," the statement from ​Herzog's office said.

KEY CONTEXT * Netanyahu is Israel's first sitting prime minister to be charged with a ⁠crime and denies bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges dating back to his 2019 indictment.

* Trump has called ⁠on ​Israeli President Isaac Herzog to grant Netanyahu a pardon several times before. * Netanyahu submitted his pardon request in November.

* Herzog has in the past disputed Trump's claim that he ⁠had promised to grant Netanyahu a pardon. * The United States and Israel on Saturday launched a ⁠joint bombing campaign against Iran.

WHAT'S ⁠NEXT * Under Israeli law, the president has the authority to pardon convicts. But there is no precedent for issuing a pardon mid-trial. The legal ‌process of ‌a pardon can be slow.