Medvedev: Israel Not Planning Iran Strike

No Comment from Spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister After Russian President's Remarks

(AP)  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says Israeli officials have assured him that they are not planning a military strike on Iran.

In an interview with CNN television broadcast Sunday, Medvedev also confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to Moscow this month that included a meeting with the Russian president.

In a transcript of the interview released by the Kremlin, Medvedev hedges on the question of whether Russia would support Iran if it were attacked by Israel.

Although Russia has no defense agreement with Iran "this does not mean we would like to be or will be indifferent to such an occurrence. This is the worst thing that can be imagined," Medvedev said of a potential Israeli strike.

"What would happen after that? Humanitarian disaster, a vast number of refugees, Iran's wish to take revenge - and not only upon Israel, to be honest, but upon other countries as well."

"But my Israeli colleagues told me they were not planning to act in this way, and I trust them," Medvedev said.

It was not clear whether those referred to included Netanyahu. In a CNN clip played on Israeli TV and dubbed in English, Medvedev refers to Israeli President Shimon Peres as the source of the assurances.

"In one hour I will talk with the president of Israel, Mr. Peres, who when recently visiting me he told me a very important thing to all of us. He said Israel doesn't intend to deliver any strike against Iran. He said, 'We are a a peaceful country."'

Netanyahu spokesman Mark Regev refused to comment Sunday on whether the Israeli premier had given any such assurance to Medvedev, or to confirm that Netanyahu ever made the Moscow trip. Medvedev gave the first confirmation from the Russian side that the meeting with Netanyahu had taken place.

Netanyahu was absent from public view in Israel for most of the day on Sept. 7. His office said he had visited a secret security facility, but there was widespread speculation that he had gone to Russia - either to pressure Moscow not to deliver S-300 air-defense missiles to Iran or to inform the Kremlin of attack plans.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu came to Moscow. He did this under a closed regime, this was his decision. I don't understand what this was connected with, but sometimes our partners decide it this way," Medvedev said. He did not give details of the meeting.

Russia signed a contract two years ago to sell S-300s to Iran, a move that disturbs Israel because the missiles would substantially boost Iran's defenses. However, no deliveries have been made public.

In the interview, Medvedev acknowledged Israel's concerns but said that "any supplies of any weapons, especially defensive weapons, cannot increase tension; on the contrary, they should ease it."

Russia has cultivated close cooperation with Iran, including building the Bushehr nuclear power plant that critics say is a key element of Iranian attempts to develop nuclear weapons. But Russia has shown irritation with Iran's failure to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency as it seeks to determine if Iran is pursuing nuclear arms.

Although Russia - which has veto power in the United Nations Security Council - so far has resisted additional sanctions on Iran, Medvedev admonished Tehran in the interview.

"Iran must cooperate with the IAEA, this is absolutely obvious, if it wishes to develop its nuclear dimension, its nuclear energy program. This is a duty and not a matter of choice," he said.

[HughAreWrong]

Remarkable how things work at this website. Here we have organizations such as the Arab League - without a secular republic among them - and OPEC - which makes a fine living from the looted oil companies within its borders - and the criminal gangs that are funded or harbored by each.

The amount of condemnation heard at the CBS News website for such behavior? Zero. The amount of condemnation heard for the Israelis, who have a republic defending itself from medieval barbarism? Huge.

Agit-Prop Central. Let's hear it for female mutilation and honor killings when you have a free moment. Which, in every sense, you never do.

[HughAreWrong]

I see that the usual load of pro-Iranian losers got off at this stop.

[wyodutch]

Brilliant move by Medvedev. Telling the Israelis that they'd best not sucker-punch Iran if they value Tel-Aviv.

[wyodutch]

The Israelis always tell the truth. Why... when they bombed and napalmed the USS Liberty and machine gunned the crew trying to launch liferafts, we know they were telling the truth when they said they mistook the U.S. Navy Intel ship for an Egyptian horse carrier.
.
Uh-huh... right... I know I certainly trust the israelis. Yep, Uh-huh.

[worldcitizen1]

One way to help insure that Israel will not attack Iran is for Russia to sell advanced surface to air missile systems to Iran.

[golfered2]

And our elected officials don't lie to us either!!!! HA HA

[bubbadubba]

Russia and Israel have a long history of not telling the truth.
I see no difference here.

[chonder2]

Now these countries are actually "Talking to each other"? Outragious,we must attack something,immediately!!

[slownewsday_5]

Israel lies to the US and the UN - what makes anyone think they aren't lying to Russia, too?


.

[slownewsday_5]

InsaneOne - what does that have to do with the current situation? They have more of a nutcase at the helm.

Israel lies and steals. They are a rogue state which doesn't deserve our support.

[ToolMangler1]

If I were Israels leader, I would tell him "Keep them from developing nukes, and 'We' will not attack them"

[JTOlivar]

So when did Medvedev become the representative of the Israeli's and decide that he can speak for Netanyahu!

Obama and the Arabic states have left Israel not a lot of choice but to do so, and Americans fully support defensive efforts by our ally in the Middle East. Obama doesn't get to speak for us, he speaks only as a representative of the communist party moguls out of Chicago, he's made that very clear.

[jwesel1]

by ToolMangler1 September 20, 2009 6:06 PM EDT
If I were Israels leader, I would tell him "Keep them from developing nukes, and 'We' will not attack them"
======================================================================
Make best use of your "leadership" and return the occupied land to Palestinians.

[slownewsday_5]

"by JTOlivar
Obama doesn't get to speak for us, he speaks only as a representative of the communist party moguls out of Chicago, he's made that very clear."


Blah blah blah blah blah. Be more funny, Rowdy.

Didn't you say you were leaving last week? Or was that only when you thought a million teabaggers had actually shown up?

[juwboy]

Under the Islamic doctrine of Al-Taqqiyeh, lying to non-Moslem infidels isn`t a sin, it`s a virtue.

Lying to non-Moslems is not only approved, it`s ENCOURAGED.

[juwboy]

Under the Islamic doctrine of Al-Taqqiyeh, lying to non-Moslem infidels isn`t a sin, it`s a virtue.

Lying to infidels is not just approved, it`s even ENCOURAGED.

[juwboy]

jwesel1 said that:

(Israel should) "return the occupied land to the Palestinians".

Before 1917, the "occupied land" was part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.

From 1917 to 1948, the "occupied land" was part of the British Empire.

From 1948 to 1967, Gaza was part of Egypt and the West Bank was part of Jordan.

Who are the "Palestinians" and why should the "occupied land" be GIVEN, not RETURNED, to them?

If the creation of a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank is so d@mn important, why didn`t Egypt and Jordan create one during the 19 years, 1948-1967, when they had the opportunity to do so?