By DPA,
Washington : Israeli President Shimon Peres said Tuesday his country would back US President Barack Obama’s plan to engage in direct talks with Iran.
Peres said it would be the “best thing” if Obama’s diplomacy with Tehran prevented the Islamic state from developing nuclear weapons and ended its support for Hezbollah and Hamas.
“We shall be loyal supporters,” Peres said after emerging from a meeting with Obama at the White House.
Obama has pledged to hold direct talks with the Iranians to resolve the confrontation of its nuclear activities allegedly intended to produce a weapon, and on a host of other issues in the region.
Israel has sought a tougher stance against Iran and its nuclear programme and worries that thawed relations between Tehran and Washington could come at the cost of its own security.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Israel should be wiped off the map. But the Obama administration argues policies of isolating Iran under former president George W Bush didn’t halt Iran’s rapid nuclear progress, and it continues to work on enriching uranium.