Israeli PM pledges all efforts against Iran's nuclear program

JERUSALEM, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told visiting U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that it was necessary to use all means available to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (R) meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem July 27, 2009.  (Xinhua/pool-Darren Whiteside)

During their meeting, which was conducted "in a highly positive atmosphere," Netanyahu "reiterated the seriousness to which Israel views Iran's nuclear ambitions and the need to utilize all available means to prevent Iran from achieving a nuclear weapon capability," said the Prime Minister's Office in a statement.

For his part, "Secretary Gates stated that the U.S. and Israel see eye-to-eye regarding the Iranian nuclear threat and explained that the U.S. engagement with Tehran will not be open-ended," added the statement.

The Jewish state regards Iran as its major security threat, and has joined the United States and some other countries in accusing the Islamic republic of secretly developing nuclear weapons under the guise of a civil project, a charge Iran firmly denies.