New York:
The Israeli Prime Minister's fiery rhetoric on Iran suggests he may be considering military action before the US elections.
During a visit to the United Nations this week, Benjamin Netanyahu declared the world had only until next summer to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb.
His 2013 deadline appeared to be a concession, but in an interview with Israel's Channel 10, Netanyahu refused to commit.
"You've never heard me talking about dates. I spoke about the critical stage that Iran must not be allowed to complete," he said, in the interview aired on Saturday.
"I did not limit or reject for a moment Israel's right to defend itself at any time."
On Thursday, Netanyahu laid out before the UN General Assembly his most detailed plea for global action against Iran, saying the world had until next summer at the latest to stop Iran from getting a bomb.
In his speech, the Israeli leader demonstratively flashed a diagram of a cartoon-like bomb showing the progress Iran has made.
He then pulled out a red marker pen and drew a line across what he said was a threshold Iran was approaching and which Israel could not tolerate - 90 per cent of the way to the uranium enrichment needed to make an atomic bomb.
Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be an existential threat, citing Iranian denials of the Holocaust, its calls for Israel's destruction, its development of missiles capable of striking the Jewish state and its support for hostile Arab militant groups.
Netanyahu has repeatedly argued that time is running out to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power and that the threat of force must be seriously considered.
Israeli leaders have hinted they may strike Iran to prevent it from going nuclear.
US President Barack Obama has vowed not to allow Iran to attain nuclear weapons and has said the US would be prepared to use force as a last resort.
But he has urged restraint, saying there is more time for diplomacy.
His administration has urgently sought to hold off Israeli military action, which would likely result in the US being pulled into the conflict.
Netanyahu's persistent demands for red lines have put the two leaders at odds.
Netanyahu tried to smooth over the differences in his UN address, making a point to thank Obama for his firm stance.
The reconciliation continued on Friday with a phone call between them.
"The two leaders underscored that they are in full agreement on the shared goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon," the White House said in a statement.
During a visit to the United Nations this week, Benjamin Netanyahu declared the world had only until next summer to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb.
His 2013 deadline appeared to be a concession, but in an interview with Israel's Channel 10, Netanyahu refused to commit.
"You've never heard me talking about dates. I spoke about the critical stage that Iran must not be allowed to complete," he said, in the interview aired on Saturday.
"I did not limit or reject for a moment Israel's right to defend itself at any time."
On Thursday, Netanyahu laid out before the UN General Assembly his most detailed plea for global action against Iran, saying the world had until next summer at the latest to stop Iran from getting a bomb.
In his speech, the Israeli leader demonstratively flashed a diagram of a cartoon-like bomb showing the progress Iran has made.
He then pulled out a red marker pen and drew a line across what he said was a threshold Iran was approaching and which Israel could not tolerate - 90 per cent of the way to the uranium enrichment needed to make an atomic bomb.
Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be an existential threat, citing Iranian denials of the Holocaust, its calls for Israel's destruction, its development of missiles capable of striking the Jewish state and its support for hostile Arab militant groups.
Netanyahu has repeatedly argued that time is running out to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power and that the threat of force must be seriously considered.
Israeli leaders have hinted they may strike Iran to prevent it from going nuclear.
US President Barack Obama has vowed not to allow Iran to attain nuclear weapons and has said the US would be prepared to use force as a last resort.
But he has urged restraint, saying there is more time for diplomacy.
His administration has urgently sought to hold off Israeli military action, which would likely result in the US being pulled into the conflict.
Netanyahu's persistent demands for red lines have put the two leaders at odds.
Netanyahu tried to smooth over the differences in his UN address, making a point to thank Obama for his firm stance.
The reconciliation continued on Friday with a phone call between them.
"The two leaders underscored that they are in full agreement on the shared goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon," the White House said in a statement.
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