Netanyahu arrives at White House for talks with Trump about Iran, Gaza

President Trump kicked off his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday as the Middle East remains uneasy over fears of an American attack on Iran.

The visit is Mr. Netanyahu’s sixth trip to the U.S. to meet with Mr. Trump since the president began his second term last year. The two last sat down at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida in December.

At the top of their to-do list is to discuss Mr. Trump’s negotiations with Iran about its nuclear program, which Israel says is a threat to the Jewish state.

“I will present to the president our outlook regarding the principles of these negotiations — the essential principles, which, in my opinion, are important not only to Israel, but to everyone around the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East,” Mr. Netanyahu told reporters before boarding his flight to the U.S. on Tuesday.

Economic protests in Iran have touched off a massive movement pushing back against the country’s authoritarian government. Iranian leaders have responded to the protests with a harsh crackdown on demonstrators, killing thousands, according to human rights groups.

Mr. Trump has responded with a significant escalation of U.S. forces in the region. On Tuesday, the president said that he would send a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East if negotiations with Iran go awry.

Currently, the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and its strike group, which includes fighter jets, Tomahawk missiles and several ships, are in the region. The U.S. had two carriers in the region during Israel’s war in Gaza.

Senior officials from the U.S. and Iran met last week for talks in Oman, which has served as a mediator between the two countries, to negotiate an end to its nuclear program. Iran’s foreign minister on Friday said the talks were off to “a good start,” and Oman’s foreign minister called them “very serious.” However, it does not appear much was accomplished during the talks.

Mr. Trump has indicated that he would strike Iran should the talks break down, writing on Truth Social that “time is running out” and “the next attack will be far worse” than last year’s assault on Iran.