Netanyahu leaves for Russia to discuss Syria

Jerusalem, May 9 (IANS) Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed on Wednesday for Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the coordination between the armies of the two countries in Syria.

"I am now leaving for an important meeting with the Russian President. The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so," Efe news quoted Netanyahu as saying before his departure.

"In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued coordination between the Russian military and the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)," he added.

On Tuesday, the US announced its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear pact, which Israel has strongly opposed.

Israel reiterated time and again that it considered Iran's growing influence in Syria a "threat" and that it was not going to allow its entrenchment in Syria, which led it to launch airstrikes against Iranian targets inside Syrian territory.

The Israeli leader had asked Moscow to curb Iran's presence in Syria, where Russian and Iranian forces were supporting and collaborating with the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Netanyahu asserted on Tuesday that Iran had drastically increased its aggressions in the region since the signing of the agreement in 2015 between Tehran and six global powers (the US, Russia, China, Germany, France and the UK).

In the decision to withdraw from the pact with Iran, a White House statement cited Israeli intelligence providing "details about Iran's past secret efforts to develop nuclear weapons".