Israel denies Iran nuke claim

According to the British newspaper "two Israeli air force squadrons" are currently in training for a strike on three targets in Iran using "tactical nuclear weapons."

The Sunday Times said "military sources" had confirmed that Israel was intending to use "low-yield nuclear 'bunker-busters'," to hit underground nuclear plants in Natanz, Isfahan and Arak.

However, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev told TJ that the reports have no basis at all and said that Israel is still aiming to encourage Iran to stop its nuclear proliferation through diplomatic means.

"If diplomacy succeeds, the problem can be solved peacefully," Regev said.

Israel has become increasingly concerned about Iran's nuclear programme in recent years, especially after the country's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced in October 2005 that "Israel must be wiped off the map."

Not only does Ahmadinejad openly deny Israel's right to exist and the validity of the Holocaust, he has also vocally supported the Palestinian violent "resistence," recently calling Israel "a threat."

While Israel has officially committed itself to supporting negotiations with Iran, Deputy Defence minister Ephraim Sneh last month said it may be time to consider using force to prevent Iran becoming a dangerous nuclear power.

Iran has continually denied that it is intending to use its nuclear facilities to make weapons, saying that it is only aiming to create an energy source.

However, responding to the Sunday Times report, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini implied that Iran is ready to respond to any threat of attack.

Speaking at a weekly briefing with reporters, Hosseini said that "any attacker would quickly regret their act."

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived in Beijing for talks with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao as well as other local leaders. The visit is seen as an attempt by Israel to secure China's support for strong action against Iran if it refuses to halt its nuclear proliferation.

While China backed a UN Security Council resolution last month imposing sanctions on Iran, like Russia the Chinese have also been seen as having a more lenient stance towards punishing the Iranians.

"In particular, Prime Minister Olmert will raise with his Chinese hosts the importance for international peace and stability, and of a resolute and effective international response to the nuclear ambitions of Iran and its radical leadership," Nadav Eschcar, spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Beijing, said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said the visit was a chance to "consolidate friendly ties."

"We can have an exchange of views on issues of common interest including the Middle East issue and the Iranian nuclear issue," he told a news conference.

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