Netanyahu apologizes to Ban over Iran leak

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologized to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for releasing details of a conversation between the two on the Ban's visit to Tehran in August, Israeli Daily (Haaretz) reported, quoting a senior Israeli official as saying. The friction with Ban began on August 10, when Netanyahu phoned the secretary-general and tried to persuade him not to attend the Nonaligned Movement's summit in Tehran. Minutes later, Netanyahu's office published a statement detailing the prime minister's arguments. According to the Israeli official, Netanyahu called Ban several days later and apologized. Netanyahu told Ban he still opposed the Tehran visit but had no intention of embarrassing the secretary-general, whom he considers a friend of Israel.