Leon Panetta
Press TV
Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta reiterated comments made in the past by other officials that the U.S. is “ready” to launch a military attack on Iran and will do so as soon as President Obama decides to.
“We will do everything we can to prevent Iran from developing a [nuclear] weapon,” Panetta added, ignoring that U.S. intelligence agencies agree Iran is not attempting to do anything of the sort.
Panetta claimed only last week that an attack was not being considered.
Panetta’s comments come just days after the end of the last round of diplomatic talks with Iran, which ended with a promise to meet for more talks next month in Moscow. Antiwar
HIGHLIGHTS
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro has said Washington is ready to use military force to stop Iran from developing its nuclear program. Shapiro said Washington continues to hope that diplomacy and sanctions would persuade Tehran to back-off on its nuclear program, but added that a military option was “ready.” ANI
Iran’s top negotiator Saeed Jalili has said that Tehran’s move on the path of progress is unstoppable. Dismissing some recent comments by Western countries that time is running out for dialogue with Tehran, he said “time is running out not for Iran, but for the western powers’ increasing pressure against the Iranian nation.”
The U.S., Israel and their allies accuse Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program and have used this allegation as a pretext to convince the UN Security Council to impose four rounds of sanctions on Iran.
Tehran has categorically refuted Western allegations, saying that as a signatory to the NPT, it has the right to acquire and develop atomic technology for peaceful purposes.
Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta reiterated comments made in the past by other officials that the U.S. is “ready” to launch a military attack on Iran and will do so as soon as President Obama decides to.
“We will do everything we can to prevent Iran from developing a [nuclear] weapon,” Panetta added, ignoring that U.S. intelligence agencies agree Iran is not attempting to do anything of the sort.
Panetta claimed only last week that an attack was not being considered.
Panetta’s comments come just days after the end of the last round of diplomatic talks with Iran, which ended with a promise to meet for more talks next month in Moscow. Antiwar
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro has said Washington is ready to use military force to stop Iran from developing its nuclear program. Shapiro said Washington continues to hope that diplomacy and sanctions would persuade Tehran to back-off on its nuclear program, but added that a military option was “ready.” ANI
Iran’s top negotiator Saeed Jalili has said that Tehran’s move on the path of progress is unstoppable. Dismissing some recent comments by Western countries that time is running out for dialogue with Tehran, he said “time is running out not for Iran, but for the western powers’ increasing pressure against the Iranian nation.”
The U.S., Israel and their allies accuse Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program and have used this allegation as a pretext to convince the UN Security Council to impose four rounds of sanctions on Iran.
Tehran has categorically refuted Western allegations, saying that as a signatory to the NPT, it has the right to acquire and develop atomic technology for peaceful purposes.
