US, Israel slammed over Iran threat

New York Times daily has criticized US and Israel for threatening Iran, saying they should take more assertive diplomacy not war planning.

Referring to the last week Israeli leaders' tough talking about Iran and threatening possible military action, the US daily said the United States and other major powers need to address Tehran's nuclear ambitions, but with more assertive diplomacy not more threats or war planning.

The daily said the Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, who is bedeviled by a corruption scandal that could drive him from office, led the charge.

“The Iranian threat must be stopped by all possible means,” he said in Washington, a day before meeting President Bush at the White House.

Then Israel's transportation minister, Shaul Mofaz, who is jockeying to replace Olmert as head of the ruling Kadima party if the prime minister is forced to resign, declared that an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites looks "unavoidable".


According to the [New York Times] daily, Olmert may be trying to divert attention from his political troubles.

Ignoring IAEA reports confirming Tehran's non-deviation from declared nuclear activities, the deputy prime minister threatened Iran on Friday with a military attack if it "continues its nuclear weapons program".

Following the deputy's remarks Israeli officials condemned Shaul Mofaz's threats against Tehran, calling them 'irresponsible' and 'cynical'.

The Zionist regime bars inspections of its nuclear facilities and is widely believed to have over 200 nuclear warheads in its arsenal. Israel calls its approach of neither denying nor admitting that it has nuclear weapons 'strategic ambiguity'.


Iran, however, is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and allows the UN nuclear watchdog to conduct inspections of its nuclear facilities. Tehran maintains that as an NPT member it is entitled to enrich uranium for civilian purposes.



MSH/BGH
PRESS TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=59550&sectionid=351020104