Olmert proposes naval blockade on Iran

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert proposed in talks with a U.S. congressional leader that a naval blockade be imposed on Iran to try to curb its nuclear program, an Israeli newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The Haaretz daily quoted Olmert as telling Nancy Pelosi that "the present economic sanctions have exhausted themselves" and the international community needed to take more drastic steps to stop Iran's efforts to obtain nuclear weapons.

A spokesman for Olmert declined to comment on the Israeli leader's talks on Monday with Pelosi, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, in Jerusalem.

"It was a confidential discussion," said the spokesman, Mark Regev.

Pelosi's office had no immediate comment. On her return to Washington, Pelosi said she and the congressional delegation she led to Israel had discussed with its leaders "the threat posed by Iran."

The prime minister's suggestions, Haaretz said, included a naval blockade of Iran using U.S. warships to limit the movement of Iranian merchant vessels.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said he was unaware of any blockade plans but said the United States intended to step up pressure on the Islamic Republic.

"I'm not going to get into specifics of how we may or may not increase that pressure militarily," Morrell said. "But as we've said from the outset of this problem, all military options remain on the table."

Keeping open a military option has long been the stance of the Bush administration on dealing with Iran and its nuclear program -- which Tehran says is for energy purposes, but which the United States and its allies say is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon.