Obama offers Netanyahu assurances over Iran

US President Barack Obama welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, March 5, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

US President Barack Obama appealed to Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to give sanctions time to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, but the Israeli prime minister offered no sign of backing away from possible military action, saying his country must be the "master of its fate."

The two men, who have had a strained relationship, sought to present a united front in the Iranian nuclear standoff as they held White House talks. But their public statements revealed differences over how to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Behind closed doors, however, Netanyahu confirmed to Obama what the president has already stated publicly - that Israel has yet to decide whether to hit Iran's nuclear sites but retains the right to resort to military action, a source close to the talks said.

Kicking off one of the most consequential meetings of US and Israeli leaders in years, Obama and Netanyahu made no mention of lingering disagreements over what Washington fears could be an Israeli rush to attack Iran's nuclear program in the coming months.

Obama, facing election-year pressure from Israel's US supporters and Republican presidential contenders, sought to assure Netanyahu the United States was keeping its own military option open as a last resort and "has Israel's back."

But he also urged Israeli patience to allow sanctions and diplomacy to work.

Netanyahu, who has made clear that Israel is operating on a shorter timeline than the United States, said in public that Israel was entitled to "defend itself, by itself." Israel sees Iran's nuclear program as a threat to its existence, though Tehran insists it has only peaceful purposes.

"We do believe there is still a window that allows for a diplomatic resolution to this issue," Obama said, even as he sought to convince Netanyahu of US resolve against Iran.

Given his chance to speak, Netanyahu said his "supreme responsibility as prime minister of Israel is to ensure that Israel remains the master of its fate."

Even though Obama has ratcheted up his tone against Iran in recent days, he and Netanyahu went into the talks divided over how quickly the clock is ticking toward possible military action. The meeting appeared unlikely to change that.

In private, the leaders made no concrete decisions but looked at both the price of taking action against Iran - which could spike oil prices and sow global economic upheaval - and the consequences of inaction, which could lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

They remain far apart on any explicit nuclear "red lines" that Iran must not be allowed to cross, and they have yet to agree on a time frame for when military forces might be needed.

There was no sign from Monday's talks that Obama's sharpened rhetoric against Tehran and his calls for restraint by Israel would be enough to delay any Israeli military plans against Iran.