Trump says he 'calls the shots' on Iran negotiations, not Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would ultimately have to accept any agreement reached between the US and Iran, insisting that he alone is directing negotiations with Iran.

Speaking to the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump said Netanyahu “doesn’t call the shots” when asked about Israel’s position on a potential US-Iran deal.

“I call the shots. I call all the shots. He [Netanyahu] doesn’t call the shots,” Trump said.

“He won’t have any choice,” the president added.

Trump also dismissed concerns that Iran’s missile strikes on Israel on Sunday night could damage ongoing diplomatic efforts.

“We’ll see how it ends up. But they were attacks that did not kick at all. It’s one of those things that’s been going for 3,000 years, or 47 years, depending on how you count,” Trump said.

The remarks come amid growing tensions between Trump and Netanyahu over the Middle East conflict and ongoing negotiations with Iran.

Last week, Trump said he was “perturbed” by Israel’s planned military operations in Lebanon while the US was attempting to move forward with a peace agreement involving Tehran.

Netanyahu has long opposed agreements with Iran, including the 2015 nuclear deal brokered under former US President Barack Obama.

At the United Nations in 2015, Netanyahu argued the agreement rewarded Iran’s “bad behavior.”