As US-Iran talks set to begin, Israel struggles to shape Trump's options

With US-Iran talks set to begin Friday in Oman, Israel finds itself faced with two opposing options: press Washington to strike Iranian targets, or use its leverage to insist on a comprehensive deal.

Either way, analysts say Israel has limited leverage to shape the US position. 

The divide within Israeli political and security leadership over Iran, particularly how to exert influence on Washington, is only complicating the picture. Some argue the United States should avoid negotiations altogether, while others call for tough preconditions before talks proceed.

Even among Israeli officials who do favor US negotiations, views diverge. Some believe Washington could force a weakened Iranian regime to accept a comprehensive deal on its nuclear program, ballistic missiles and proxies in the region. Others assess that stringent conditions would trigger an outright Iranian refusal — a scenario they say could benefit Israel, as it would not be blamed if the talks collapsed.