Moscow - Israel has no intention of bombing Iran, the
country's Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said in Moscow
Wednesday.
His comments came at a press conference in the Russian capital,
where the controversial right-winger also warned Tehran not to
provoke Israel.
'Israel is a strong country, and we can defend ourselves,' he told
reporters.
'We are not intending to bomb Iran,' Lieberman added. 'It is not a
problem for Israel, it is a problem for the Middle East.'
His comments came as the US President Barack Obama arrived in the
region on a high-profile tour. Obama landed in Riyadh, the Saudi
capital, on Wednesday, ahead of a major address to the Muslim world
in Cairo Thursday.
Tehran had denied repeatedly that its disputed nuclear programme
is designed for anything beyond civil nuclear power.
Obama has repeatedly pressed for a 'two-state solution' to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict - something both Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and his foreign minister have avoided backing.
'Israel needs security first, and the Palestinians need economic
power,' the minister added.
Lieberman added that Israel would boycott any planned Middle East
peace conference that invited the radical Islamist groups Hamas -
which runs the Gaza Strip - and Hezbollah, active in neighbouring
Lebanon.
'Those who cultivate terror are no partner for us,' he said.
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