Israeli Official: Obama Will Not Receive Netanyahu in U.S.

President Barack Obama will not receive Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the United States later this month, an Israeli official told Agence France Presse on Tuesday.

Netanyahu, who will be attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, had asked for a meeting with Obama, proposing to travel to Washington for it, the official said

"So far the response has been that Obama's very tight schedule does not allow such a meeting," the Israeli official said.

Obama's refusal comes amid rising tensions over how to curb Iran's controversial nuclear programme.

Both governments suspect Iran is seeking at least the capability to build an atomic bomb but they are at odds over how best to stop that.

Israel regards any possibility of a nuclear Iran as an "existential" threat. Washington argues that there is still scope for sharply stepped up Western sanctions to have an impact.

Over the past week, Netanyahu has repeatedly driven home the need to lay down a "clear red line" for Iran in order to avoid military action.

Iran insists that its nuclear programme is for peaceful power generation and medical purposes only.