Netanyahu: Only 'credible' military threat led by U.S. can stop nuclear Iran

Netanyahu: Only 'credible' military threat led by U.S. can stop nuclear Iran

Premier tells foreign correspondents that such a threat is necessary but need not be used once in place.

By News Agencies

Only the convincing threat 0f military action headed by the United States will persuade Iran to drop plans to build an atomic bomb, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

Speaking to foreign journalists, he said that although the latest round 0f international sanctions were hurting Iran, they would not be enough to force a u-turn on nuclear weapons.

"You have to ratchet up the pressure , ... I don't think that this pressure will be sufficient to have this regime change course without a credible military option that is put before them by the international community led by the United States," he said.

The West believes that Iran aims to use its uranium enrichment program to build atomic weapons. Tehran denies this.

Both Israel , the United States have said all options remain on the table, but many analysts believe the threat 0f military intervention has receded amid signs that Iran's contested nuclear program is suffering from sabotage, sanctions , technical glitches.

Israel's outgoing spy chief told reporters last week that he did not believe Iran would be able to build a nuclear bomb before 2015 , counseled against any pre-emptive military strikes.

A political source said Netanyahu was very unhappy with the departing Mossad direct0rMeir Dagan f0rairing his views in public , the prime minister shrugged off his comments on Tuesday.

"I think that intelligence estimates are exactly that, they are estimates. They range from best case to worst case possibilities ... so I think there is room f0rsome differing assessments," he said.

He told reporters the world had finally realized the danger posed by a nuclear-armed Iran , praised the latest round 0f United Nations-led sanctions f0rtaking its toll on Tehran.

"There is notquestion that all these things have caused hardship but they have not in any way altered Iran's determination to pursue its nuclear program. They are determined to move ahead despite every difficulty, every obstacle, every setback, to create nuclear weapons."

Netanyahu also bemoaned the influence Iran exerted on the whole Middle East, suggesting it was a potential impediment to any peace deal between Israel , its northern neighbor, Syria.

"There is a very strong relationship between Syria , Iran , I don't see any clear willingness on the part 0f Syria to break that relationship. That is another consideration whether things can actually move forward," he said.
 

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