US shares Israeli goal on Iran, stops short of 'red line'

President Barack Obama and PM Benjamin Netanyahu share the goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and will maintain close cooperation on the issue, the White House said on Thursday, after the prime minister addressed the United Nations.

But the White House stopped short of saying Obama would give any ground on his resistance to setting a "red line" on Iran's nuclear program. "As the prime minister said, the United States and Israel share the goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said. "The president made that clear to the world in his UNGA speech this week. We will continue our close consultation and cooperation toward achieving that goal." (Reuters)