Biden: Israel has right to deal with nuclear Iran

By JoAnne Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israel has a sovereign right to decide what is in its best interest in dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions whether the United States agrees or not, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said in an interview on Sunday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled that he agrees with U.S. President Barack Obama's end-of-the-year deadline for progress in efforts to engage Iran diplomatically to resolve dispute over its nuclear program.

In an interview on ABC's "This Week" program, Biden said Israel can determine for itself how best to deal with the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran.

"We cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do when they make a determination, if they make a determination, that they're existentially threatened," Biden said.

Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, said neither the United States or Israel could allow Iran to gain a nuclear weapon.

"The U.S., like Israel ... has determined unequivocally that Iran must not have nuclear military capability," Ayalon told Israel's Army Radio.

"A military operation in Iran is something difficult and complex and perhaps would have severe consequences and there could be serious damage, but this is much less dangerous and complicated than to allow a nuclear Iran," he said.

THREAT