CIA head Leon Panetta
Photo: AFP
Netanyahu, discussing Iran?
Photo: Reuters
Report: CIA chief visited Israel; discussed Iran
Politico.com reports Leon Panetta met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Mossad chief Meir Dagan. Meetings focused on Iranian nuclear program, general ties between parties
CIA director Leon Panetta visited Israel last week to discuss the Iranian nuclear program, Politico.com reported on Sunday, citing Israeli sources.
According to the report, Panetta met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Mossad chief Meir Dagan.
The report cited a former Israeli official as saying that the main issues discussed were the Iranian nuclear program and general ties between the parties.
A CIA spokesperson refused to comment on the report, and said the agency does not discuss the director's travels.
According to other reports, Panetta also visited Cairo and held met with Egyptian Intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, as well as other officials.
The last known visit by Panetta in Israel took place last May. During his visit, senior political and security sources conveyed through him a message to the Obama administration stating that Israel plans to coordinate its moves on Iran with the US.
They stated that this commitment would stand in the event of a military option as well.
The New York Times reported on Saturday that the Obama administration is speeding up the deployment of new defenses against possible Iranian missile attacks in the Persian Gulf, placing special ships off the Iranian coast and antimissile systems in at least four Arab countries.
The Washington Post also reported that the Americans were arming the Gulf countries, and added that in the last two years, the US has granted some $25 billion in military aid to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
