Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert headed for urgent talks in Moscow on Thursday to try to win President Vladimir Putin's support for new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear development. Olmert's office announced the one-day tour on Wednesday, just a day after Putin paid the first visit to Iran by a Russian leader since 1943, and distanced himself from Western warnings over Tehran's atomic works.
"This is a last-minute, urgent meeting," a senior Israeli official told AFP. "The two intend to discuss a series of regional issues, including the peace process with the Palestinians, Iran's threat and attempt to acquire nuclear weapons, and developments in the region," a statement said.
Olmert, traveling with four top advisors, is expected to press Putin to support a new round of sanctions against Tehran. "The prime minister believes that effective and general sanctions can be very useful and he certainly supports raising the level of diplomatic and economic sanctions against Iran," a senior Israeli government source told AFP.
Israeli President Shimon Peres issued a statement on Thursday comparing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and saying there was proof Iran was manufacturing nuclear weapons. "Many times in history it was too late to prevent horrors and bloodshed, for instance with Stalin and Hitler.
"We are nearing a similar turn of events with Ahmadinejad. We must not ignore Iran's aspiration to become a religious, extremist Persian empire that would rule the entire Middle East," Peres said.
"Even if President Putin says he's not sure that Iran is developing nuclear power for war ... many intelligence services around the world have proof that Iran is looking to make nuclear arms for war and death."
