President Trump asserted his authority over Middle East negotiations, telling the Financial Times that Israel will be forced to accept whatever agreement the United States reaches with Iran. "I call all the shots. He doesn't call the shots," Trump said, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The statement came as Israel and Iran engaged in direct military strikes for the first time since a ceasefire took effect in April. Israel targeted petrochemical facilities in Mahshahr that produce materials for ballistic missile development. Iran responded by backing its proxy Hezbollah after Israeli military operations escalated in Lebanon.
Trump called for an immediate halt to hostilities on Truth Social, posting that "Israel and Iran must immediately stop shooting" and urging both sides to stand down as regional tensions mounted.
The Trump administration's approach signals a significant shift in US policy toward Israel. By publicly stating he controls negotiations regardless of Israeli objections, Trump indicated the administration intends to pursue talks with Iran without requiring Israeli approval. This contrasts with previous administrations that granted Israel substantial influence over Iran-related decisions.
However, divisions have emerged between the Trump administration and allied nations over ceasefire terms. Vice President JD Vance clarified in Budapest that Lebanon was not part of the Iran ceasefire agreement, despite apparent misunderstandings. He stated: "I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn't. We never made that promise."
British officials have publicly disagreed with this position. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told BBC Radio 4 that continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon were "completely wrong" and emphasized that "Lebanon must be included in the ceasefire." Defence Secretary John Healey similarly called for ending the Israel-Lebanon conflict as part of broader ceasefire terms.
Britain also expressed concerns about Trump's suggestion that Iran could charge tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Healey warned that introducing any pay-for-passage system would create a dangerous precedent for international shipping and contradict established maritime law. He said such an arrangement "simply isn't sensible and isn't actually doable."
The escalation in Lebanon has intensified since the April ceasefire announcement. Israeli bombing campaigns have continued with significant casualties, while Iran responded by halting oil tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade of this critical shipping route has affected global fuel and fertilizer prices, with ripple effects on economies worldwide.
Cooper emphasized in her remarks to City leaders that freedom of navigation through international waterways underpins global trade and security. The renewed hostilities and diplomatic disagreements between the Trump administration and its traditional allies suggest that achieving a sustainable ceasefire agreement faces considerable obstacles, despite Trump's insistence on American control over negotiations.