​​​​​​WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump rejected a suggestion by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly encourage an uprising in Iran, according to a report on Wednesday.

Netanyahu suggested that they urge Iranians to take to the streets during a recent call, but Trump opposed the idea, warning protesters could be “mowed down,” Axios reported, citing US and Israeli sources familiar with the conversation.

It said Israeli officials believed recent strikes targeting senior Iranian figures, including security officials, could weaken the regime and create conditions for unrest. But few Iranians joined protests during the annual festival of fire.

The report added that while Netanyahu remains skeptical about reaching a deal with Iran, Trump is "still interested in pursuing a diplomatic path that would leave what's left of the regime in place."

The US and Israel have been carrying out airstrikes on Iran since Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people to date. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure, while disrupting global markets and aviation.