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Netanyahu, Trump discuss Iran, Syria ahead of Helsinki summit

July 16, 2018 at 9:49 am

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that he had discussed with US President Donald Trump issues related to Iran and Syria ahead of  Trump’s summit with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin in the Finnish capital, Helsinki.

“On Saturday evening, I spoke with US President Donald Trump over the telephone and discussed security and diplomatic issues in light of developments in the region, with Syria and Iran first and foremost, of course”, Netanyahu said during the Israeli cabinet’s weekly meeting.

“As you know, these issues will also come up at the president’s summit in Helsinki. Of course I discussed them with President Putin last Wednesday”, he added.

Netanyahu praised in his remarks what he described as the US President’s “firm policy” towards Iran, adding that since the policy was adopted “we have seen its significant impact on Iran”.

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He stressed that Trump has repeatedly reiterated his commitment to ensuring Israel’s security and readiness to assist Israel in various areas.

Netanyahu met Putin in Moscow last week and discussed the Iranian presence in Syria.

The Israeli prime minister is reported to have demanded that Iranian forces leave Syria or stay at a distance from the ceasefire line in the occupied Golan Heights as a precondition to his support for the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad in Syria.