Israeli defense minister to focus on Iran in US visit
Washington, 27 July (IranVNC)—Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak will be in Washington tomorrow, where he is scheduled to meet with senior officials for talks expected to focus on Iran, AFP reports.
By: IranVNC
Published: Sunday, July 27, 2008
11:35GMT—7:35AM/EST
ISRAEL – US – IRAN – NUCLEAR
Washington, 27 July (IranVNC)—Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak will be in Washington tomorrow, where he is scheduled to meet with senior officials for talks expected to focus on Iran, AFP reports.
During Barak’s visit, which according to the Jewish Telegraph Agency [JTA] has been postponed three times, he will reportedly meet with US Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, senior military officials and members of congress. He will also stop in New York to meet with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for talks on Hezbollah, JTA reports.
AFP quotes Barak’s senior adviser, Amos Gilad, as telling Israeli public radio that the defense minister will discuss the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program.“Israel cannot tolerate living under an Iranian nuclear threat,” Gilad said, adding: “For the moment our priority is the diplomatic track, but Israel has to be prepared to use all options.”
Barak said on 10 July that Israel wants a diplomatic solution to the nuclear row, but warned “it is not afraid to take action,” according to Reuters. His comments came one day after Iran said it had test-fired nine missiles to warn the U.S. and Israel against launching any military strike on its nuclear facilities.
An Israeli Air Force exercise in early June fuelled concerns over an Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
On Thursday, Israeli Transport Minister and former defense minister, Shaul Mofaz, will also meet Cheney and Rice for talks on the Iranian nuclear threat, AFP reports. Mofaz caused political uproar last month when he said
Israel had “no alternative” but to attack Iran to stop its controversial nuclear program.
Sources: Agence France-Presse, Jewish Telegraph Agency, Reuters
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