Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu today denied accusations he was interfering in US politics after drawing criticism for fiercely criticising Washington's handling of Iran.

Relations between Mr Netanyahu and President Barack Obama hit a new low this week after the Israeli leader said nations that failed to set red lines for Iran did not have the "moral right" to prevent Israel from launching a military strike. He did not mention the United States by name, but the comments were clearly aimed at Mr Obama and his administration.



Coming less than two months before a US presidential election, critics accused Mr Netanyahu of seeking to influence the vote - a charge the Israeli prime minister rejected in interviews published today..



"That's nonsense, because what's guiding me is not the election in the United States but the centrifuges in Iran," he told Israel's Hayom daily newspaper. "If the Iranians . . . had stopped enriching material and preparing a bomb until the US election was over, I would have been able to wait," he added.



Israel and Western powers believe Iran is developing the technology to build nuclear weapons. Tehran denies this and says its nuclear project is entirely peaceful.



Mr Netanyahu has constantly urged the United States and Europe to apply more pressure on Tehran, believing that only the threat of credible military action will persuade Iran to back down.



However, this week's outspoken criticism - which followed days of incessant public demands for Washington to impose red lines on Iran - provoked a sharp response in parts of the US press and a rare letter of admonishment from a US senator.



"It appears that you have injected politics into one of the most profound security challenges of our time, Iran's illicit pursuit of nuclear weapons," California Democrat Barbara Boxer said, adding that she was one of Israel's staunchest supporters.



In private conversations, sources close to Mr Netanyahu have voiced a clear preference for Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney.



Some Israeli press commentators say the right-wing Mr Netanyahu is seeking to undermine Mr Obama, with whom he has had notoriously testy relations, and bolster Mr Romney, who has accused the White House of throwing "Israel under the bus".



They have also been quick to play up the close ties between the Israeli leader and casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, one of Mr Romney's most generous financial backers who also bankrolls the fervently pro-Netanyahu Israel Hayom daily.



In his interview with Hayom, Mr Netanyahu appears to take another swipe at the US president, questioning his administration's assurance that it will not let Iran develop the bomb. "But what if the United States doesn't take action? That's the question that must be asked," he said.



Reuters