Israel denies report on Iran attack plans

Israel denied reports that it asked the United States for permission to overfly Iraq during any attack on Iran’s nuclear sites. Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper on Saturday quoted an unnamed Israeli defense official as saying that Jerusalem is in talks with Washington over creating a safe “air corridor” for the eventuality of Israeli bombing runs against Iranian targets. The report was denied by Israeli Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh, who suggested that it was concocted by Western nations keen to avoid the measures necessary for reining in Iran’s nuclear program through diplomacy. “Authorities around the world, mainly in the West, are trying to avoid dealing directly with Iran,” Sneh told Israel Radio. “They are anxious to spread the idea that we are planning to attack Iran and so be absolved of the need to do the things we have requested of them.”