Peres on = Ahmadinejad: We'll strike him

Tue Apr 14, 2009 | = 00:51

Classic = Version=20 | Text Only

Iran= =20
Middle=20 East
U.S.=20
Asia-Pac= ific=20
Africa=20

Europe=20

Americas= =20

Business=20

Sports= =20

Correspon= dent=20 Files
Special = Coverage=20

Thru My Eyes =
My Voice =

Politics= <=20 Iran= < Home

Peres on Ahmadinejad: We'll strike=20 him

Shimon Peres warns about a possible military = strike=20 against Iran if the much talked-about US-Iran negotiations do not = soften=20 the Iranian president's = approach.

Font size :

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:07:36=20 GMT

Israel 'will' launch its much-predicted = military=20 strike against Iran, should Washington's overture to Tehran prove to be = of no=20 avail.

In an interview with Kol Hai Radio, Israeli President = Shimon=20 Peres launched into a tirade against Iran and Iranian President Mahmoud=20 Ahmadinejad warning him about his stance.

Referring to President = Obama's=20 promise to soften the Bush administration's line against talking to = Iran, Peres=20 said he hoped that such talks would "bear fruit."

He, however, = went on=20 to warn that if such talks do not soften the Iranian president's = approach "we'll=20 strike him."

President Barack Obama's administration has pledged = to lean=20 towards making a major diplomatic overture to Iran -- one that is = expected to=20 end 30 years of diplomatic animosity between the two countries as well = as=20 resolving Iran's nuclear dispute.

Peres refused to reveal = details of the=20 military plan to take out Iran's nuclear infrastructure, but confirmed = that=20 Israel would not launch a unilateral strike against Iran.

"We = certainly=20 cannot go it alone, without the US, and we definitely can't go against = the US.=20 This would be unnecessary," Peres explained.

The remarks come = shortly=20 after US Vice President Joe Biden warned Israel against any military = action on=20 Iran.

Biden said the government of Israeli Prime Minister = Benjamin=20 Netanyahu would be "ill advised" to try to strike Iran's nuclear = facilities.=20

The "fresh approach" of President Obama in dealing with Iran's = nuclear=20 case has prompted the Israeli government to watch with great attention = as the=20 new US administration works to "diplomatically" engage Tehran. =

The new=20 US policy regarding Iran has surprised Israeli circles as they have long = sought=20 a green light from the United States to launch an attack on Iran.=20

Earlier in January The Times reported that the Israeli = government=20 had asked for bunker-busting bombs from former president George W. Bush, = and=20 demanded refueling and overflight rights over Iraq to take out Iran's = main=20 nuclear enrichment plant at Natanz.

The former president, = however,=20 deflected the secret Israeli request and revealed that -- as an = alternative --=20 new covert actions aimed at sabotaging Iran's nuclear program had been=20 authorized.

CS/MMN

Share : =

Show=20 Comment(s) | Print |=20 Send by=20 E-Mail

Your Name
Your Email Address
Your Comment	=20
Enter the code shown
	I agree=20 with your terms = of use=20

	=20

Latest=

Turkey's=20 former PM Erbakan in Iran
Former Turkish Prime Minister = Necmettin=20 Erbakan is in Tehran to exchange views on regional and global = developments=20 with Iranian officials.
US=20 cautions citizens in Thailand
US condemns violent = demonstrations=20 aimed at toppling the government in Thailand, cautioning Americans to = remain=20 alert over possible attacks.
KNB:=20 Israel defrauded Kazakhstan=20
Kazakh officials say = Israel has sold=20 faulty military hardware to the country, accusing the Defense Ministry = of=20 collusion with Israeli firms.
Pakistan=20 falling into Taliban hands
Pakistan's President = Asif Ali=20 Zardari approves Taliban rule in the Swat valley while the country's = army=20 surrenders the restive valley to militants.
Iran=20 gives Shell, Repsol deadline on phase 13=20
Iran has given Royal = Dutch Shell and=20 Repsol a 45-day deadline to clarify their involvement in a major gas = project=20 in the south of the country.
Israeli=20 settlers storm al-Aqsa Mosque
In another act of = hostility against=20 the Palestinians, scores of Israeli settlers stormed the al-Aqsa = Mosque's=20 courtyard in occupied al-Quds.
Obama=20 eases Cuba restrictions
US President Barack = Obama has lifted=20 all traveling and financial limits on Cuban-American families, a step = seen to=20 normalize US-Cuba ties.
'Hezbollah's=20 legitimacy growing in the West'
Hezbollah says Western = states should=20 stop their support of Israel stating that the resistance movement has = been=20 enjoying increased legitimacy.
French=20 prisons accommodate suicide
Poor and unsanitary = conditions of=20 French prisons increasingly fill the inmates with the urge to take = their own=20 lives, reports show.
Karroubi=20 picks Mohajerani as advisor
Reformist hopeful Mehdi = Karroubi has=20 chosen ex-culture minister Ataollah Mohajerani as his advisor in the = upcoming=20 presidential elections in Iran.
US=20 vying to 'hand-pick' Afghan president
Washington is using its = political=20 clout to influence the outcome of the upcoming presidential elections = in=20 Afghanistan, a report says.
Bolivia=20 settling electoral impasse?
Bolivian lawmakers are = close to=20 ending a deadlock over a bill expected to provide for President Evo = Morales to=20 run for another term in office.
US=20 'marks first military victory' under Obama
Congratulations are in = order for=20 the US military's handling of the recent hostage standoff off Somalia = while=20 many warn of the consequences.
Iran,=20 Armenia to finalize railway accord
Iran and Armenia will = finalize an=20 agreement on the construction of a railway that will connect the two = countries=20 and enhance economic cooperation.
ElBaradei:=20 US responsible for nuclear Iran
Head of the = International Atomic=20 Energy Agency says the Bush administration's "ignorance and arrogance" = has led=20 to today's "nuclear Iran".