Biden says Israel can set own course on Iran nuclear threat

Biden’s remarks suggested a tougher US stance against Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Nonetheless, administration officials insisted his televised remarks yesterday reflected the US view that Israel has a right to defend itself and make its own decisions on national security.

In an interview on ABC’s “This Week,’’ Biden also said the US offer to negotiate with Tehran on its nuclear program still stands. Some thought the administration’s approach might change in light of the Iranian government’s harsh crackdown on protesters after the June 12 presidential election. Opponents of the ruling authorities contended that the vote was rigged against them.

“If the Iranians respond to the offer of engagement, we will engage,’’ Biden said.

It was after meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel at the White House on May 18 that President Obama said it should be clear by year’s end whether Iran is open to direct negotiations. Obama told the Associated Press last Thursday that persuading Iran to forgo nuclear weapons has been made more difficult by the crackdown after the disputed reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Biden was asked whether Netanyahu was using the right approach by indicating that Israel would take matters into its own hands if Iran did not show a willingness to negotiate by the end of the year.

“Look, Israel can determine for itself - it’s a sovereign nation - what’s in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else,’’ Biden replied. He added that this was the case, “whether we agree or not’’ with the Israeli view.

Biden was then asked more pointedly whether the United States would stand in the way if the Israelis, viewing the prospect of an Iranian nuclear bomb as a threat to the existence of the Jewish state, decided to launch a military attack against Iranian nuclear facilities.

“Look, we cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do,’’ he said.

Pressed further on this point with a reminder that the United States could impede an Israeli strike on Iran by prohibiting it from using Iraqi air space, Biden said he was “not going to speculate’’ beyond saying that Israel, like the United States, has a right to “determine what is in its interests.’’

Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said yesterday that he has been concerned for some time about “any strike on Iran.’’ He also said military action should not be ruled out and a nuclear-armed Iran is a highly troubling prospect.

In Jerusalem, the Israeli government had no comment on Biden’s remarks.

Tommy Vietor, White House spokesman, said Biden was not signaling any change of approach on Iran or Israel.

“The vice president refused to engage in hypotheticals, and he made clear that our policy has not changed,’’ Vietor said. “Our friends and allies, including Israel, know that the president believes that now is the time to explore direct diplomatic options.’’

The Netanyahu government says it prefers to see Iran’s nuclear program stopped through diplomacy, but has not ruled out a military strike. Israel, within easy range of an Iranian ballistic missile, has been skeptical of the administration’s aim of engaging in dialogue with Iran rather than threatening sanctions and military action.

The New York Times reported in January, shortly before Obama took office, that President Bush had deflected an Israeli request in 2008 for specialized US bombs that it would use for an air strike on Iran’s main nuclear complex at Natanz. And it reported that Bush was convinced by aides, including his defense chief, Robert Gates, that a US strike on Iran would probably be ineffective.

Obama retained Gates as his defense secretary.

There are many reasons for Washington to oppose an Israeli attack on Iran now, including the presence in neighboring Iraq of about 130,000 American troops, who could become targets for Iranian retaliation. The security consequences could be much broader.

Mullen, who as Joint Chiefs chairman is the top military adviser to Obama and Gates, said he worries about unpredictable consequences of an attack on Iran.