Itongadol.- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took off on Wednesday for Russia in a last-minute bid to sway an emerging deal with Iran over its contested nuclear program.
An AFP correspondent said the Israeli premier did not deliver any remarks before his plane taxied ahead of taking off shortly after 0700 GMT.
Netanyahu is to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday evening to voice his concerns about the deal being hammered out at talks in Geneva.
On Thursday, he will address members of the Russian Jewish community.
Russia is a member of the P5+1 group – alongside the United States, China, France, Britain and Germany – which has been struggling to reach a deal to freeze or curb Iran\’s nuclear activities in exchange for some relief from international sanctions.
Israel is staunchly opposed to the mooted interim agreement, insisting it will give Iran vital sanctions relief while failing to halt Tehran\’s alleged march towards a "breakout" nuclear weapons capability.
The Prime Minister\’s trip to Russia comes on the heals of a visit by Israeli Economics and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett to the US, during which he explained the dangers of a "bad deal" arising from the talks.