TEL AVIV — Despite the positive readouts emerging Friday from the first two rounds of indirect US-Iran talks in Oman, Israeli officials say massive gaps remain on Iran’s ballistic missile program as Israel worries Washington will agree to Tehran’s demand to leave the issue aside.

While both sides reported that another meeting would be held, Israel was unimpressed. "It is not clear whether this is a feint by Trump to lull the Iranians into complacency and gain political and international legitimacy for an attack, or a real attempt to resolve the crisis peacefully," a senior Israeli diplomatic source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. Either way, noted the source, the gaps between Tehran and Washington are enormous, and "Trump can't afford to emerge with his tail between his legs."

In the dark on US intensions 

While Iran has publicly insisted that the negotiations' main goal is a formula that would limit its nuclear program in return for the lifting of US sanctions, Israel does not see it this way. As far as Israel is concerned, the goal must be to curb Iran’s ballistic missile project, which poses a clear threat to Israeli security.