WASHINGTON, Sept 11: The White House on Tuesday denied President Barack Obama had refused a request to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York this month, saying their schedules do not coincide.

Both Obama and Netanyahu, who have had an uneasy relationship, are expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly, as speculation runs rampant that Israel could launch a unilateral strike against Iran's nuclear program.

National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said that reports that Obama had declined to meet Netanyahu were not accurate.

“The president arrives in New York for the UN on Monday, Sept 24 and departs on Tuesday, Sept 25,” Vietor said.

“The prime minister doesn't arrive in New York until later in the week.

They're simply not in the city at the same time.

“But the president and prime minister are in frequent contact and the prime minister will meet with other senior officials, including Secretary Clinton, during his visit,” Vietor said.

Earlier, an Israeli official said that Netanyahu had asked for a meeting with Obama, who will squeeze his visit to New York into his re-election campaigning, but that the White House had declined.

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

The incident comes amid rising tensions over how to curb Iran's controversial nuclear program.

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.—AFP