Iran 'red lines' in UN speech

Netanyahu to spell out Iran 'red lines' in UN speech

Prime minister lands in New York, where a source in his entourage says he'll lay out the best way to ensure Tehran doesn't obtain nuclear weapons; FM: Differences with US don't affect "courageous friendship."

Photo: REUTERS Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is expected to spell out before the UN General Assembly on Thursday the red lines he believes will prevent Iran from attaining nuclear arms.
Netanyahu landed Thursday morning in New York, and a source in his entourage said upon arrival that Netanyahu will tell the UN that Israel and the US have a joint goal of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and that what Netanyahu will say about red lines is meant to ensure this goal is accomplished.

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"Netanyahu is convinced that the US and Israel can work together to reach the joint objective," he said.
According to the source, Netanyahu's red lines will not contradict US President Barack Obama who has said that Iran will not have nuclear weapons. Rather, the source said, Netanyahu will spell out what he sees as the way to ensure this does not happen.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, accompanying Netanyahu to the UN, said on the plane that Netanyahu needed to present the Israeli position in the clearest way possible.
Israeli and American positions do not always overlap, Liberman said, and this is not the first time there were disagreements between Jerusalem and Washington. This, however, does not affect the "courageous friendship between the countries and their commitment to one another," he said.
A cross-Atlantic dialogue
Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said on Thursday that Israel and the US are engaged in a dialogue over setting a red line for Iran's nuclear program, even if it is not set publicly.
In an interview with Israel Radio, Ayalon added that the gaps between Israel and the US over the Iranian nuclear threat are constantly narrowing.
"The dialogue between Israel and the United States about the Iranian issue is going great right now," Ayalon said.
Ayalon added that even though US President Barack Obama did not lay down specific red lines in his Wednesday speech to the UN General Assembly, the fact that he warned against allowing Iran to obtain nuclear weapons is very important.
The deputy foreign minister also commented about the effectiveness of the economics sanctions on Iran.
"There are credible reports that the Iranian economy is on the verge of collapsing, but nothing has been achieved yet," Ayalon said.
"It is in everyone's best interests that [stopping Iran's nuclear program] is achieved using economic, diplomatic and political actions. If these actions don't work, then all other options are on the table," Ayalon adde