Region | Palestinian Territories

Leaked Israeli drill seen as US pressure on Iran

Iranian media on Sunday said an Israeli air practice for a possible attack on nuclear Iran was a move to increase pressure on Iran to stop atomic work.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 14:14 June 22, 2008
  • Gulf News

Occupied Jerusalem: Iranian media on Sunday said an Israeli air practice for a possible attack on nuclear Iran was a move to increase pressure on Iran to stop atomic work.

"When the diplomacy of economic and political pressure fails to produce results, a shift is made to gunboat diplomacy," wrote Alex Fishman, a military correspondent of the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

"As the Iranian regime discusses the European Union representative's most recent offer to halt its nuclear programme in exchange for extensive benefits, the Americans opted to add a bit more pressure in the shape of Israel's air force," he said.

Citing sources from the Pentagon, The New York Times reported on Friday that more than 100 Israeli fighter jets joined an exercise that appeared to be a rehearsal for missions over Iran. Israel did not confirm the report.

Commentator Amir Rappaport, writing in Israel's Maariv daily, said it was likely the Pentagon leak was an attempt "to deter Iran and increase pressure on it to cooperate" with international nuclear watchdogs.

Earlier this month, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana gave Iran an incentives offer from the world's powers to encourage it to stop nuclear work. Iran declined the offer.

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