Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, will set a "clear red line" on Iran's controversial nuclear programme in a speech to the UN General Assembly later today, an Israeli official said.

The Israeli leader's address to the UN meeting was expected to focus largely on Tehran's nuclear programme, which Israel and much of the international community fears masks a weapons drive.

"In his speech, the prime minister will set a clear red line" on Iraniannuclear activities, a senior Israeli official told reporters travelling with Mr Netanyahu as his plane arrived in New York.

The programme has been a source of discord between Washington and Israel, with US officials cautioning the Jewish state against a military strike on Iran, and brushing aside Israeli calls for "red lines" that could trigger the use of force.

But the official said Netanyahu's comments on Thursday would be in line with the stance presented by US President Barack Obama in his own remarks to the General Assembly earlier this week.

"Netanyahu will say that the United States and Israel have a shared goal to prevent Iran from having nuclear arms," the official said. "What he will say regarding red lines will help ensure this goal will be achieved.

"Netanyahu is convinced that the US and Israel can work together to achieve this common goal," the official added, saying that the prime minister's comments "will not contradict what Obama said".

"Obama said that Iran will not have nuclear weapons. Netanyahu will clarify the way to prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons."

Eytan Gilboa, professor of political science at Bar Ilan University outside Tel Aviv, who specialises in US-Israeli relations, said: “Netanyahu erred in making public his differences with the US over Iran, and Obama made a mistake in not finding time to meet with him. Policy on Iran should have been set by Israel and the U.S. in secret discussions and not public skirmishes.”----

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/9571196/Benjamin-Netanyahu-to-set-clear-red-line-on-Iran.html