Olmert Backs Away From Minister's Iran Remarks

JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Olmert distanced himself yesterday from a Cabinet minister's suggestion that Israel will be forced to attack Iran.

A spokeswoman for Transportation Minister, Shaul Mofaz, said he had not been expressing government policy.

Mr. Mofaz set off an international uproar over the weekend by saying in a published interview that Israel will have "no choice" but to attack Iran if it doesn't halt its nuclear program. Mr. Mofaz is a former military chief and defense minister, and has been Israel's representative in a strategic dialogue on Iran with American officials.

Mr. Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, did not explicitly reject Mr. Mofaz's comments. But he said Mr. Olmert clearly stated Israel's policy last week during a trip to Washington.

Speaking to reporters after a White House meeting, Mr. Olmert called for tighter international sanctions, including boycotting Iranian businessmen and financial transactions and blocking the country's imports of refined petroleum. He also warned that a more "effective" solution was drawing closer, but would not elaborate.

The spokeswoman for Mofaz, Talya Somech, confirmed he had been quoted accurately but said Mr. Mofaz was expressing "his own opinion" and not that of the government.

Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and designed to produce energy, but Israel believes the country's fundamentalist regime seeks nuclear weapons. Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has repeatedly said Israel should be "wiped off the map."

In an interview published Friday in the local daily Yediot Ahronot, Mr. Mofaz said "If Iran continues its nuclear arms program — we will attack it."