The United States on Monday rebuffed a bid by the Zionist entity to convince it to declare "red lines" that Iran must not cross if it is to avoid international action over its nuclear program

The United States on Monday rebuffed a bid by the Zionist entity to convince it to declare "red lines" that Iran must not cross if it is to avoid international action over its nuclear program.

State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters that, while US President Barack Obama "has said unequivocally he will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon," the idea of deadlines or red lines was "not useful."

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said his occupation country was talking with Washington about laying down a clear threshold for action over Iran.

"Iran will not stop unless it sees clear determination by the democratic countries of the world, and a clear red line," Netanyahu told Canadian public broadcaster CBC.

But the State Department distanced Washington from the Israeli stance.

"The American people know that the president has said unequivocally he will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon," Nuland said.

"So, you know, we are absolutely firm about the president's commitment here, but it is not useful to be parsing it, to be setting deadlines one way or another, red lines," she said, promising "intensive consultations with Israel."

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had earlier played down talk of imposing a timetable on Iran.

"I think we've maintained a steady course of our two-pronged policy," Clinton told Bloomberg radio Sunday at the end of a trip to Asia.

"We have always said every option was on the table, but we believe in the negotiation, the diplomatic effort through the P5+1, but also pressure," she added in the remarks released Monday.