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US President Barack Obama does not believe that Israel has made any decision to launch a pre-emptive strike on Iran’s nuclear installations.
“I don’t think that Israel has made a decision on what they need to do. I think they, like us, believe that Iran has to stand down on its nuclear weapons programme,” he said in an interview to NBC News, adding: “Until they do, I think Israel rightly is going to be very concerned, and we are as well.”
In the interview, Obama also sought to ratchet down tensions over the possibility of Iran mounting an attack on American soil, commenting: “We don’ see any evidence that they have those intentions or capabilities right now.”
Without ruling out a military option, Obama, however sought to pitch for a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Iran’s nuclear pursuit, indicating that the dialogue route remains the “preferred solution”.
During the interview with NBC anchor Matt Lauer, broadcast just before the Super Bowl championship game on Sunday night, left the military option open in the event of evidence that economic sanctions and diplomatic efforts fail to convince the Iranian regime to give up its nuclear ambitions and threats to close the Strait of Hormuz. Obama’s comments on Israeli thinking appeared to contrast with his Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s public statements that Israel could be poised to make a preventive strike against Iran as early as late spring or early summer.
Underscoring the US’s close ties to Israel, Obama said his administration would make sure that all diplomatic efforts were exhausted. “We are going to make sure we work in lock step and work to resolve this, hopefully diplomatically,” said Obama, adding: “We’re not taking any options off the table. Our preferred solution is diplomatic, we’re going to keep on pushing on that front.”
“I don’t think that Israel has made a decision on what they need to do. I think they, like us, believe that Iran has to stand down on its nuclear weapons programme,” he said in an interview to NBC News, adding: “Until they do, I think Israel rightly is going to be very concerned, and we are as well.”
In the interview, Obama also sought to ratchet down tensions over the possibility of Iran mounting an attack on American soil, commenting: “We don’ see any evidence that they have those intentions or capabilities right now.”
Without ruling out a military option, Obama, however sought to pitch for a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Iran’s nuclear pursuit, indicating that the dialogue route remains the “preferred solution”.
During the interview with NBC anchor Matt Lauer, broadcast just before the Super Bowl championship game on Sunday night, left the military option open in the event of evidence that economic sanctions and diplomatic efforts fail to convince the Iranian regime to give up its nuclear ambitions and threats to close the Strait of Hormuz. Obama’s comments on Israeli thinking appeared to contrast with his Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s public statements that Israel could be poised to make a preventive strike against Iran as early as late spring or early summer.
Underscoring the US’s close ties to Israel, Obama said his administration would make sure that all diplomatic efforts were exhausted. “We are going to make sure we work in lock step and work to resolve this, hopefully diplomatically,” said Obama, adding: “We’re not taking any options off the table. Our preferred solution is diplomatic, we’re going to keep on pushing on that front.”
