How Netanyahu Misled Trump, The New York Times

The New York Times has reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to shape U.S. President Donald Trump's stance regarding actions on Iran.

According to the publication, during a meeting held on February 11, Netanyahu presented an operational plan, indicating that conditions for regime change in Iran had been created. He emphasized that a U.S.-Israeli joint operation could bring an end to the current structure of the Islamic Republic.

The report notes that during the meeting, Trump was shown a video that featured potential leaders who could come to power in the event of the collapse of the current regime. Included in that list was Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran, who currently resides in the U.S. and advocates for secular governance.

Netanyahu and his team argued that Iran’s ballistic missile program could be neutralized within a few weeks, and that the country would be unable to close the Strait of Hormuz or deal serious blows to U.S. interests in the region. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly assessed the plan negatively, though the final decision rested with Trump.