Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday he would go “anywhere” he is invited to denounce Iran’s nuclear energy programme as relations with the White House sank to a new low.

Mr Netanyahu enraged US President Barack Obama last week by accepting an invitation from House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner to address the US Congress in March.

The White House was not consulted on the invitation and has slammed it as a breach of protocol, since diplomatic visits are usually organised with the president’s involvement.

“The typical protocol would suggest that the leader of a country would contact the leader of another country when he’s travelling there,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

The ballooning row comes as the US engages in talks with Iran over its nuclear programme. Tehran says it is developing nuclear energy for civilian purposes only, while Washington and Tel Aviv accuse it of wanting nuclear weapons — which would end Israel’s monopoly as the only Middle Eastern nuclear-armed power.

Republicans in Congress are hostile to what they view as detente with Iran and are seeking to pass legislation threatening the country with further sanctions, a move the president has said he would veto in case it derails talks.

Mr Boehner’s invitation is seen as an opportunity to give the Israeli PM a platform to undermine Mr Obama and reject “compromise” on Iran.

The White House has confirmed that if Mr Netanyahu arrives as planned, the president will not meet him.