Israel Not Planning to Bomb Iran: Russian Prez

Dmitry Medvedev says Benjamin Netanyahu made assurance on secret visit

By Neal Colgrass, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 20, 2009 6:17 PM CDT

(Newser) – Russia's president says Israeli officials have promised him they are not planning to strike Iran to destroy its uranium enrichment program, the Jerusalem Post reports. In a transcript of a CNN interview released today, President Dmitry Medvedev says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the assurance on a secret visit to Moscow this month.

But Medvedev punted when asked whether Russia would back Iran if there were such an attack. Russia has no strategic agreement with Iran, said Medvedev, but "this does not mean we would like to be or will be indifferent to such an occurrence."

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev shakes hands with Fareed Zakaria, a world affairs columnist and CNN television host, at his Barvikha residence outside Moscow Sept. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Presidential Press Service)

In this photo taken Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev speaks in his interview with CNN television at his Barvikha residence outside Moscow. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Presidential Press Service)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen at a weekly cabinet meeting in his office, in Jerusalem, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Gali Tibbon, Pool)

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When he visited me in Sochi, Israeli President Peres said something important for us all: 'Israel does not plan to launch any strikes on Iran, we are a peaceful country and we will not do this.' - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

doingtherightthing

Sep 21, 2009 12:47 PM CDT

the Russians our anti-ally. Putin is our enemy. Obama blew it in stopping the missiles in Poland. The crisis went from yellow to orange by his actions. Israel will do what it has to do to survive. Knocking out Iran's nuclear program will happen with or without America's blessings and Russia's involement.. The Russians goal is to marginlize the Americans in the mideast and take down Israel......watchout for Putin.......he's not to be trusted

ChickenChopper

Sep 21, 2009 12:00 PM CDT

NO, i insist on having FOX NOOSE draw all my conclusions for me...i'll wait til they cover this...

freethemall

Sep 21, 2009 7:18 AM CDT

We both have the same God? I guess it follows then, that the Muslims have a false god, and are, therefore, infidels. But no wait, the Jews don't believe in Jesus, so they are also infidels. Do Muslims want to destroy all Christians and Jews? The ones (and there are many) who truly believe their religion do. Islam is even more fanatical then Judaism or Christianity, but not much more. I think there are many Christians who agree with Ann Coulter, that we need to go and conquer them, take their oil, and convert them to Christianity, and that's scary.

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Israel Not Planning to Bomb Iran: Russian Prez