United States President Donald Trump has publicly described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a very difficult man to deal with, while also issuing a stark warning that Israel would not survive for two hours if Iran were to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, where he expressed frustration with Netanyahu over Israel’s military strikes on Beirut, which he said nearly derailed the recently finalized agreement between the United States and Iran to end months of conflict.

According to Trump, Netanyahu should be deeply grateful to the United States for negotiating the deal, warning that without American intervention, a nuclear-armed Iran would pose an existential threat to Israel. He stressed that the deal was critical to preventing that outcome and protecting Israel’s long-term survival.

Trump announced late Sunday that a comprehensive agreement with Iran had been finalized, ordering the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the American naval blockade. The memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran is expected to be signed on Friday in Switzerland, after which a 60-day negotiation period on Iran’s nuclear program and other matters will begin.

The US president also warned that if no final nuclear agreement is reached with Tehran, the United States would resume military attacks on Iran. He said America would become the guardian of the Middle East if negotiations ultimately failed.

According to reports, Trump had personally called Netanyahu on Sunday night, urging him not to retaliate against Iran. However, Israel went ahead with strikes on Iranian air defence systems, further straining relations between the two allies.

Related video