Netanjahu secretly travels to Abu Dhabi – Trump expects Iran talks

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Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjahu has secretly traveled to Abu Dhabi for a meeting – right in the middle of an intense phase of diplomatic movement around the Iran conflict. Handelsblatt reports this in its news blog on the Iran war.

At the same time, preparations are underway in Washington for direct talks between the US and Iran. According to Handelsblatt, US President Donald Trump expects negotiations between US negotiators and the Iranian side this week. In parallel, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister is in Washington for talks.

The temporal proximity of these dates – Netanjahu in Abu Dhabi, Saudi diplomacy in Washington, and announced US-Iran talks – raises questions: Who is coordinating with whom here? And what role does Israel play in the announced negotiating course?

What is known about Netanjahu's trip to Abu Dhabi

There are no official details on the content or interlocutors of the meeting in Abu Dhabi. According to Handelsblatt, the trip was kept secret – a clear signal that Israel did not want to make the contacts public. The Emirates have repeatedly established themselves in the Gulf region as a venue for informal talks between various actors, without each case being confirmed.

Trump expects talks with Iran this week

As Handelsblatt reports in its news blog, US President Donald Trump expects US negotiators to hold talks with Iran this week. The diplomatic track in the conflict over the Iranian nuclear program is thus taking more concrete shape – while at the same time, pressure on Tehran remains on the table.

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister in Washington

In parallel with the possible US-Iran talks, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister is in Washington, as Handelsblatt reports. Riyadh is a central actor in any format concerning the Gulf region – as a close US ally, but also as a state with its own interests vis-à-vis Tehran.

Iran signals readiness for diplomacy

Signals are also coming from Tehran, according to Handelsblatt: Iran is pressing for diplomacy. What this means concretely for the ongoing nuclear negotiations remains open – whether the readiness goes beyond tactical signals will become clear in the coming days.

What happens next?

In the coming days, it will become clear whether the parallel diplomatic movements turn into a concrete negotiating format. The decisive question is whether the announced US talks actually take place – and what role Israel plays through its contacts in Abu Dhabi. Handelsblatt is continuously updating its news blog.