Obama: Increase pressure on Iran before Israel responds
Washington, 25 August (IranVNC)—US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said today in Iowa that the world must increase pressure on Iran over its controversial nuclear program before Israel feels cornered.
By: IranVNC
Published: Monday, August 25, 2008
18:37GMT—2:37PM/EST
OBAMA – IRAN – ISRAEL
Washington, 25 August (IranVNC)—US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said today in Iowa that the world must increase pressure on Iran over its controversial nuclear program before Israel feels cornered.
“My job as president would be to try to make sure that we are tightening the screws diplomatically on Iran … to get sanctions in place so that Iran starts making a different calculation,” Obama was quoted by Reuters as saying.
He added: “We’ve got to do that before Israel feels like its back is to the wall.”
The U.S. and Israel suspect Iran is using its nuclear program to develop a nuclear weapon, a charge Tehran vehemently denies. Although both countries have called for a diplomatic solution to the longstanding dispute, neither has ruled out a military option.
Calling a nuclear-armed Iran a “game-changer for the region”, Obama said that after meeting with Israeli officials last month, he believes Israel will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
“They recognize there are no good military options but they also recognize that from their perspective, it is unacceptable to allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” AFP quotes Obama as saying.
Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Israel army radio that Washington is presently opposed to any military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Although he would not speculate on whether or not Israel has a “green light” to attack Iran, Obama said: “What is not speculation is that we have to act more forcefully and effectively on the world stage to contain Iran’s nuclear capabilities.”
The United Nations has imposed three rounds of sanctions against Iran since December 2006 for refusing to halt its sensitive nuclear work. After Iran failed to respond favorably to an incentives offer presented to it by six major powers last month, the U.S. and UK said the UN Security Council would consider another round of economic sanctions against Tehran.
Obama has said that he would meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without preconditions, although more recently he has suggested that talks would begin at lower levels. Republican White House hopeful John McCain has said that he opposes presidential-level talks with Iran.
“The problem is that for most of the Bush administration, instead of trying to engage directly with Iran, there was a lot of saber-rattling,” AFP reports Obama saying.
Sources: Agence France-Presse, Reuters
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