Regional leaders pressure Trump to avoid strikes on Iran: "Netanyahu calls him every day"

At least four Arab and Muslim leaders have spoken with Trump in an attempt to convince him not to resume strikes on Iran, according to the Financial Times. A diplomat briefed on the calls said Netanyahu calls Trump daily to urge him to resume the war.

At least four Arab and Muslim leaders have spoken in recent days with U.S. President Donald Trump as part of a coordinated effort to convince him not to resume strikes on Iran and to give diplomacy another chance, according to the Financial Times. Among the leaders who reached out were Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A diplomat briefed on the calls said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls Trump daily to urge him to resume the war, while a person familiar with the situation in Israel said Netanyahu wants a resumption of military action but is not currently making an effort to persuade Trump. Regional leaders fear that further strikes would lead to a harsh Iranian response against their countries. Meanwhile, mediators are trying to bridge a proposal for an interim agreement that includes free passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for lifting the American blockade. Disagreements concern the order of steps and the fate of the enriched uranium stockpile of about 440 kilograms. Trump announced he spoke with Qatar's prime minister and claimed that Gulf states prefer the continuation of the blockade over military escalation.