UPDATE 1-Trump, Netanyahu discuss Iran threat, sanctions in call-statements

President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Iran on Wednesday, the White House said, the same day the U.S. president threatened to "substantially" increase sanctions on Tehran to curb its nuclear activities.

Iran recently started enriching uranium beyond a limit established in a 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers, a deal from which Trump withdrew. Trump has since intensified economic sanctions on Tehran, and tensions have escalated. "The two leaders discussed cooperation between the United States and Israel in advancing shared national security interests, including efforts to prevent Iran's malign actions in the region," White House spokesman Judd Deere said on Thursday.

Netanyahu's office said the leaders discussed Trump's latest warning - issued by tweet on Wednesday - to further tighten sanctions. "The prime minister expressed his appreciation for the president's intention of increasing the sanctions against Iran," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.