Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will press Israel to support the U.S. reconciliation campaign with Iran.

Officials said Obama would urge visiting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Israel’s support of Washington’s drive to improve relations with Teheran.

For his part, Netanyahu has pledged to disclose information on Iran’s
nuclear weapons program. The prime minister, also scheduled to address the
United Nations General Assembly, has asserted that Rouhani was assigned to
ease Western pressure on Teheran without any nuclear concessions.

“I will tell the truth in the face of the sweet talk and the onslaught
of smiles,” Netanyahu said. “One must talk facts and one must tell the
truth. Telling the truth today is vital for the security and peace of the
world and, of course, it is vital for the security of the state of Israel.”

The officials said any reconciliation would include a resolution of the Iranian nuclear crisis, which Israel fears could lead to the imminent assembly of atomic bombs.

“We’re trying to achieve an objective that we believe could serve the interests of the United States, Israel and the world, which is a resolution that involves Iran coming in line with its obligations, not developing a nuclear weapon,” a senior administration official said.

In a briefing on Sept. 27, the official acknowledged Israeli concern over the Obama initiative toward Iran. Earlier, Obama held a 15-minute telephone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the first direct contact between the two leaderships since 1979.

The official said Washington was offering the prospect of removing U.S.
and international sanctions from Iran as part of an accelerated
reconciliation effort. But he said this would require an
Iranian agreement on its uranium enrichment program.

“And so when we consider things like potential sanctions relief, we’re
going to need to see a meaningful agreement and meaningful actions by the
Iranian government before the pressure that’s in place can be relieved,” the
official, who did not elaborate, said.

On Sept. 30, Obama was scheduled to meet Netanyahu at the White House.
Officials said the president was expected to urge the prime minister to
support the U.S. reconciliation and accelerate efforts to establish a
Palestinian state in 2014.

“In terms of their discussions, I’m sure that the president and Prime
Minister Netanyahu will focus on the subject of Iran and this ongoing
process on red lines,” the official said. “The bottom line for us is that
Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.”

On Sept. 29, Secretary of State John Kerry raised the prospect of a
rapid reconciliation process with Iran. Kerry, assigned to direct U.S.
negotiations with Teheran, said a resolution to Iran’s crisis could be
reached as early as January 2014.

“It’s possible to have a deal sooner than that depending on how
forthcoming and clear Iran is prepared to be,” Kerry said in a U.S.
television interview. “If it is a peaceful program, and we can all see
that — the whole world sees that — the relationship with Iran can change
dramatically for the better and it can change fast.

  Benjamin Netanyahu, Hassan Rowhani, Iran’s nuclear program, John Kerry, Obama expects Israeli cooperation; Netanyahu vows ‘to tell the truth in the face of sweet talk’