In a Monday editorial, the American newspaper said that "It would be nice if Iran could be persuaded to completely dismantle its nuclear program, as Netanyahu has demanded, but that is unlikely to ever happen. The administration of President George W. Bush made similar demands and refused to negotiate seriously and the result was an Iranian program that is more advanced than ever."

Netanyahu has expressed his anger as negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme were expected to reach a breakthrough in Geneva.

He claimed that a deal would be a mistake and the Israeli regime would not be bound by it.

World powers, the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany (P5+1) and Iran, have failed to reach a deal during the latest meeting in Geneva.

Washington and some of its allies used the false allegation as a pretext to push the UN Security Council to impose four rounds of sanctions on the Islamic Republic between 2006 and 2010.

Tehran has categorically rejected the accusation, arguing that as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it is entitled to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

NTJ/BA