Gates reassures Israel on US-Iran strategy

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates tried to reassure Israel yesterday that Washington's bid to talk Iran into giving up nuclear work was time-sensitive and worth pursuing, despite Tehran's reticence.

President Barack Obama has put the quest for engagement with Iran at the core of US foreign policy. Israel, which says a nuclear-armed Iran would threaten its survival, has hinted at pre-emptive strikes should it deem diplomacy at a dead end. A statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he reaffirmed in his talks with Mr Gates "the need to use all means to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear military capability".

"Gates said the United States and Israel see eye-to-eye with regard to the Iranian nuclear threat," the statement said.

During a visit to Israel, Mr Gates affirmed President Obama's hope for an Iranian response to the US overtures in time for the UN General Assembly in late September.

Mr Obama has also warned Tehran that the United States would not countenance endless talks, saying he would like to see progress by year's end.

"I think, based on the information that's available to us, that the timetable that the President has laid out still seems to be viable and does not significantly increase the risks to anybody," Mr Gates told reporters at a news conference with his Israeli counterpart, Ehud Barak.

Mr Netanyahu's office said Mr Gates explained to the Israeli leader, whom he met after his talks with Barak, that the US policy of engagement with Iran was "limited in time".

After travelling to Jordan and meeting King Abdullah, Mr Gates said he had every sense that Israel would go along with the US strategy, "as long as the process is not completely open-ended".

Iran says that its uranium enrichment - a process with bomb-making potential - is for energy. It has rejected US-led demands to curb the programme. This, along with the fiercely anti-Israel rhetoric from Tehran, has stirred up war fears.

Mr Gates's visit coincides with a tour by Mr Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, who is seeking a deal with Israel for a settlement freeze on land Palestinians want for a state.