Jerusalem, Feb 29 (IANS/AKI) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an upcoming visit to Washington will ask US President Barack Obama to publicly threaten Iran with an attack over its suspected nuclear weapons programme, an official said.
According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, an unnamed senior Israeli government official said Netanyahu wants Obama to go beyond his ambiguous statement that “all options are on the table”.
The Israeli prime minister will visit Washington March 5.
Netanyahu wants Obama to state unequivocally that Washington was preparing for a military operation in the event that Iran crosses certain “red lines”, the official said.
Israel feels that by making clear that there exists a real US threat, there will be increased pressure on Iran, the official said.
Western powers and Israel suspect Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons, however, Iran strongly denies this, saying its programme is of a civilian nature only.
Earlier this month, two attacks in New Delhi and Georgian capital Tbilisi on Israeli missions were blamed on Iran. There was another bombing incident in Bangkok where an Iranian national was reportedly seen near the Israeli embassy.
–IANS/AKI
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