Washington  - President George W Bush turned down a request by Israel last year for special bunker-busting bombs and other aid to attack Iran's nuclear programme, while the US instead initiated covert action aimed at slowing Tehran's nuclear advances, the New York Times reported Sunday.

In an article quoting unnamed US intelligence and administration officials, the Times reported that Israel had secretly asked the US for the bombs, refuelling equipment and permission to fly over Iraqi airspace. Bush flatly denied the request to cross over Iraq and effectively ignored the other requests.

The US instead started in early 2008 covertly penetrating the nuclear supply chain and using other efforts to undermine Iran's programme, the report said. Bush had also been briefed on options for overt attacks on Iranian facilities, but never moved beyond contingency plans, despite suggestions by some during his presidency that he was planning to attack Iran, the Times said.

The Israeli request apparently came in response to a US report published in 2007 that said Iran had suspended its alleged efforts to achieve a nuclear weapon, a conclusion Israel and many in the US rejected. It was unclear whether Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was actually developing a strike plan or was simply trying to push Washington into further action, the report said.

Iran insists its nuclear programmes are solely for peaceful purposes and says the country is pursuing a civilian nuclear programme, including enrichment, as its legitimate right in line with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The West, however, suspects Iran might use the same technology for a secret military programme and become a threat to the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region. (dpa)