February 4, 2026 | 09:34 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israel continues to urge the United States (US) to attack Iran, despite President Donald Trump's hesitation to launch further attacks on Tehran, according to a report published by Axios, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Tuesday, citing a US official.
Several Israeli officials, including Defense Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir and Mossad Director David Barnea, have visited Washington in recent weeks as the US builds up its forces in the region.
Trump warned on Monday that "probably bad things will happen" to Iran if nuclear talks with the Islamic Republic fail, referring to what he called the "biggest and the best" US Navy warships heading to the region.
Zamir briefed Chair of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine on Israel's war plans for Iran over the weekend, according to multiple reports.
"It's safe to say that nothing came out of that meeting to change his or the president's mind on attacking Iran," the US official, who declined to be named, told Axios, referring to Caine and Trump.
"It's really the Israelis who want a strike. The president is just not there."
Another senior US official told Axios that the US president "really does not want to do it."
In June 2025, Israel, backed by Washington, launched a 12-day attack on Iran that targeted military and nuclear sites as well as civilian infrastructure, killing senior Iranian commanders and scientists.
Iran responded by attacking Israeli military and intelligence facilities with missiles and drones before the US carried out a series of attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. The attack quickly ended ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.
Tuesday's report comes as negotiations between the US and Iran are scheduled to resume this week.
"I just spoke with (US) special envoy (Steve) Witkoff, and these talks, as of right now, are still scheduled. President Trump is always wanting to pursue diplomacy first, but obviously it takes two to tango," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday morning.
Witkoff was scheduled to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday, February 6, 2026, to discuss Iran's nuclear program, according to several reports published this week.
However, Axios reported on Tuesday that Iran was demanding a change in location and stated that Tehran wanted to change the format.
Reports indicated that representatives from Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar were expected to join the talks. However, Axios said Iran is now pushing for in-person talks. Axios also said Tehran wants to move the location from Istanbul to Oman.
Read: Prabowo Responds to Israeli Attack on Gaza
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