Israel seeks a stronger stance on Iran from U.N. Security Council and U.S.

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon will meet with senior U.S. officials this week to emphasize Israel's growing displeasure with the slow pace of diplomacy on Iran at the U.N. Security Council, according to a senior Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivity.

The Obama administration has signaled that after a year of outreach to Iran, it would get tough in 2010, promising "crippling sanctions."

"We were led to believe that by now, or the end of the month, that sanctions would be in place," the official said. Now it appears sanctions might take until April, or even later.

Ayalon also wanted to begin discussing other options. "Iran is the litmus test" for U.S. power, he said, and any failure to deal with Iran will only encourage U.S. foes.

-- Glenn Kessler