US tells Israel to calm down on Iranian rhetoric

South Korea News.Net
Saturday 16th May, 2009

The Jerusalem Post has reported the US has told Israeli officials to tone down rhetoric on Iran and stop threatening a military strike on Iranian nuclear installations, especially ahead of presidential elections on June 12th.

The Obama administration, while saying it recognises that a nuclear Iran poses a threat to the stability of the Middle East, still plans to offer Iranian leaders new diplomatic approaches in return for a freeze on nuclear enrichment programs.

Obama administration officials have also said the new policies, while risky, should not be allowed to fail and might require Iran’s neighbours to accept the fact of a nuclear Iran.

Asked about the Iranian nuclear threat in an interview on on the weekend, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said Israel was "not taking any option off the table.”

US officials have said military threats from Israeli officials prior to Iranian elections could only strengthen President Ahmadinejad and encourage the Iranian regime to speed up its nuclear ambitions with help from North Korea and Russia.

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