The United States has a military option "ready" if diplomacy fails to halt Iran's controversial nuclear programme, the US envoy to Israel has said, an Israeli newspaper reported on Thursday.
"It would be preferable to resolve this diplomatically through the use of pressure than to use military force," right-wing nationalist daily Makor Rishon quoted Daniel Shapiro as telling an Israeli bar association meeting this week.
"But that doesn't mean that option is not fully available," the newspaper quoted him as saying. "It is not just available, but it is ready, the necessary planning has been done to ensure that it is ready."
The United States, Israel and much of the international community believes Iran's nuclear programme masks a weapons drive, a charge Tehran denies, saying the programme is for peaceful civilian energy and medical use.
Washington has pursued a policy of pushing tough sanctions against Iran, while leaving the door open to a diplomatic resolution.
After a 15-month hiatus, Iran and the P5+1 powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany -- held their first talks in Istanbul in mid-April, which were described as "positive."
The parties agreed to more in-depth discussions in Baghdad on May 23.
But Israel has expressed scepticism about the talks, warning they could simply give Tehran more time to pursue a weapon.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said on Monday that the demands being made of Tehran "are so minimalist that even if Iran were to accept all of them, it could still continue and advance its nuclear programme."
Barak met Thursday with US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta for their third session of talks in the Pentagon in as many months and thanked him for Washington's new funding for more batteries of Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system.
"The additional aid for acquiring Iron Dome batteries is being given at a most important time," a statement from Barak's office quoted him as saying. "Iron Dome batteries allow us, the political leadership, more diplomatic room for manoeuvre and will help avoid escalation."
The statement said the meeting lasted for about an hour and covered "all the (Middle East) regional issues."
The two last met on April 19 for talks the Pentagon said focused on Iran, Syria and the effects of the Arab Spring on the Middle East.
"On behalf of the people of Israel I want to express my thanks to President Barack Obama and the American government for the defence aid to Israel, for their absolute commitment to the security of Israel and to the additional aid recently approved for the acquisition of Iron Dome batteries," Barak told his host.
Israel media said this week that the US was expected to announce an extra $680 million (530 million euros) in aid to Israel to help finance the production and deployment of more Iron Dome batteries.
Three batteries of the sophisticated system deployed in southern Israel performed successfully during a rocket barrage by Gaza militants in March, and Barak has said he intends to extend it throughout the country.
The system, the first of its kind in the world, was developed by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defence Systems with the help of US funding.
The United States spent $204 million (159 million euros) on the Iron Dome system in 2011.
"Defence ties between Israel and the US have never been stronger," Barak said.
Israel has publicly warned it is keeping all options, including a military strike, on the table when it comes to dealing with the Iranian nuclear programme.
Its stance on the issue has led to speculation that it could carry out unilateral military action, despite the caution of US officials who have repeatedly stressed that sanctions must be given a chance to work.
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