Israel denies move to attack Iran

Israel has denied that it is negotiating with the US on a unilateral strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Israel has denied that it is negotiating with the US on a unilateral strike on Iran8217;s nuclear facilities.

8220;International authorities, particularly in the West, who want to avoid direct involvement with Iran, are anxious to spread the story that we will strike Iran,8221; Deputy Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh told Israel Radio today in response to such reports in the British media.

8220;Those who do not want to work politically, diplomatically and economically are diverting attention to the operation that we are said to be conducting,8221; Sneh said. The international community should focus on imposing economic sanctions on Iran for defying UN Security Council resolutions, he added.

The Daily Telegraph had earlier reported that Israel is negotiating with the US for permission for an 8220;air corridor8221; over Iraq to carry out an air strike on Iranian nuclear facilities if it becomes necessary. The report cited an unnamed senior Israeli defence official as saying that talks are currently under way between the two countries over the possibility of Tel Aviv deciding to take unilateral action to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

8220;We are planning for every eventuality, and sorting out issues such as these are crucially important,8221; the official was quoted as saying. 8220;The only way to do this is to fly through US controlled air space. If we don8217;t sort these issues out now we could have a situation where American and Israeli war planes start shooting at each other,8221; he reportedly said.

Contingency planning has accelerated significantly since the beginning of the year in light of Mossad estimates that

Iran could have the necessary amount of fissile material to produce a nuclear weapon by 2009, it said.

Story continues below this ad

An announcement by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently that Meir Dagan, head of Mossad and a leading expert on Iran, would postpone his retirement until the end of 2007 at the earliest has also fuelled speculations over an Israeli preparation.

The Israeli prime minister also handed over coordination of military aspects of the Iran nuclear issue to Israel Air Force Commander Eliezer Shkedy.