President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will ultimately have to accept whatever agreement the United States reaches with Iran.
In an interview with the Financial Times published Sunday, Trump said that Washington — not Jerusalem — will determine the outcome of negotiations.
"He won't have any choice," Trump told the FT in a telephone interview. "I call the shots.
"I call all the shots. He [Netanyahu] doesn't call the shots."
Trump's comments came after Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel, in what was described as the most significant violation of a fragile ceasefire reached earlier this year.
The president indicated the attack would not alter his pursuit of a diplomatic agreement with Tehran.
"It's not going to have any impact on the deal," Trump told the FT. "We'll see how it ends up. But they [the missile strikes on Israel] were attacks that did not kick at all. It's one of those things that's been going for 3,000 years, or 47 years, depending on how you count."
Trump also told Axios he would urge Netanyahu not to retaliate against Iran over the missile attack, arguing that further military action could jeopardize ongoing negotiations.
While Trump said he believes talks remain on track, he stopped short of predicting an imminent breakthrough.
"I think the deal is going on," he said. "We'll see what happens."
"The deal may make it on its own merit, or not, but this will not have any effect on it," Trump added, referring to Iran's missile attack.
Trump also warned that failing to reach an agreement could lead to tougher measures against Tehran.
"It means [one of] two things," he told the FT. "Number one, it would mean that possibly we would go in and take care of the rest of the place that we didn't take care of militarily.
"Or it would just mean that we would keep the blockade on Iran because the blockade has been probably more powerful than any attack that was ever made on that country."