Israel not opposed to Iran-US talks: PM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel does not object to diplomatic talks between the US and Iran.

"We do not oppose diplomatic negotiations with Iran," Xinhua quoted Netanyahu as saying at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

"We insist that these negotiations lead to the dismantling of Iran's enrichment capability. The main thing we are working to achieve is to prevent Iran's enrichment capability," the prime minister added, according to a statement sent by the Governmental Press Office.

Netanyahu further said that while Iran claims it's aiming to reach nuclear capabilities for peaceful purposes, there are countries achieving the same capabilities "without even one centrifuge" and without uranium enrichment.

"Whoever doesn't want fissionable material and nuclear bomb doesn't insist on enrichment... therefore Iran... must not be allowed to have enrichment capability. This is the most important point," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu returned Friday from a visit to the US, in which he set out to "expose the truth," as he said prior to his trip, about the Iranians' overtures toward the US.

Netanyahu met US President Barack Obama and talked before the UN General Assembly Tuesday, warning the international community that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is a "sheep in wolf's clothing," trying to buy time with "smiles campaign" to carry on with Iran's nuclear programme.

He also gave interviews to local and international TV news broadcasts, including one aimed for the Iranian people in the BBC in Farsi Thursday, in which he repeated his message.

Netanyahu's hard line was slammed by Iranian President Rouhani, who said Wednesday Israel was "upset and angry" with the signs of new emerging relationship between Iran and the US.

Israeli members of the opposition in the parliament also criticized Netanyahu, maintaining that Israel should go with Obama and not "dwell alone".