Israel not intending to bomb Iran, says Lieberman

Jun 3, 2009, 13:08 GMT

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.