16 may 2014
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) speaks to the press ahead of a meeting with US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Jerusalem, on May 16, 2014
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Friday that world powers must deny Iran any possibility of developing a nuclear weapon as the search for a deal intensifies.
"I think that, while the talks with Iran are going on, there is one thing that must guide the international community and that is not to let the ayatollahs win," Netanyahu's office quoted him as saying at the beginning of their meeting in Jerusalem.
"We must not allow Iran, the foremost terrorist state of our time, to develop the ability to develop a nuclear weapon," Netanyahu said.
Hagel said that Washington had the same goal.
"I want to assure you prime minister, and the people of Israel, of the United States' continued commitment to assuring Iran does not get a nuclear weapon," he said in video distributed by the US embassy.
"America will do what we must to live up to that commitment," he added.
Although Iran currently has a nuclear energy program that it claims is meant for civilian purposes, Israel is known to have a large stockpile of undeclared nuclear weapons.
The Pentagon chief's visit to Israel came as the United States and other major powers pressed talks with Iran on a long-term agreement to allay international concerns about its nuclear ambitions.
A historic deal reached in November between Iran and the United States following the election of Iranian president Rouhani in June has been hailed by many around the world as a harbinger of better relations between the two power.
Israel, however, has strongly opposed the negotiations with its arch-enemy, and has said repeatedly that it is prepared to launch military action on its against Iran's nuclear facilities if it feels it necessary.
Netanyahu says that the diplomatic opening to the West overseen by President Hassan Rouhani since he took office last August is a charade as real power remains in the hands of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
At a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon on Thursday, Hagel said the negotiations between the powers and Iran were not open-ended -- the parties are working to a July 20 target for an agreement.
He said Washington was continuing to cooperate closely with its Israeli ally on the Iran issue, even while the negotiations go on.
Hagel is on the last leg of a Middle East tour that also took him to Saudi Arabia, which has its own concerns about the nuclear talks with its regional rival.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Friday that world powers must deny Iran any possibility of developing a nuclear weapon as the search for a deal intensifies.
"I think that, while the talks with Iran are going on, there is one thing that must guide the international community and that is not to let the ayatollahs win," Netanyahu's office quoted him as saying at the beginning of their meeting in Jerusalem.
"We must not allow Iran, the foremost terrorist state of our time, to develop the ability to develop a nuclear weapon," Netanyahu said.
Hagel said that Washington had the same goal.
"I want to assure you prime minister, and the people of Israel, of the United States' continued commitment to assuring Iran does not get a nuclear weapon," he said in video distributed by the US embassy.
"America will do what we must to live up to that commitment," he added.
Although Iran currently has a nuclear energy program that it claims is meant for civilian purposes, Israel is known to have a large stockpile of undeclared nuclear weapons.
The Pentagon chief's visit to Israel came as the United States and other major powers pressed talks with Iran on a long-term agreement to allay international concerns about its nuclear ambitions.
A historic deal reached in November between Iran and the United States following the election of Iranian president Rouhani in June has been hailed by many around the world as a harbinger of better relations between the two power.
Israel, however, has strongly opposed the negotiations with its arch-enemy, and has said repeatedly that it is prepared to launch military action on its against Iran's nuclear facilities if it feels it necessary.
Netanyahu says that the diplomatic opening to the West overseen by President Hassan Rouhani since he took office last August is a charade as real power remains in the hands of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
At a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon on Thursday, Hagel said the negotiations between the powers and Iran were not open-ended -- the parties are working to a July 20 target for an agreement.
He said Washington was continuing to cooperate closely with its Israeli ally on the Iran issue, even while the negotiations go on.
Hagel is on the last leg of a Middle East tour that also took him to Saudi Arabia, which has its own concerns about the nuclear talks with its regional rival.
15 may 2014
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel stands in front of surface to air defense systems while speaking to US and Israeli soldiers at Hatzor Israeli Air Force Base, in central Israel, near kibbutz Hatzor on May 15, 2014
Israel's defense minister said Thursday that Israel and the US should be prepared to use "all means" to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapons capability.
"I believe that it should be in the first priority of each of us to deal with this threat by all means, in all fields," Moshe Yaalon said at joint press conference with visiting US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.
The Pentagon chief's visit came as the United States and other major powers pressed talks with Iran on a long-term agreement to allay international concerns about its nuclear ambitions.
Israel has strongly opposed the negotiations with its arch-enemy, and has said repeatedly that it is prepared to go it alone if necessary with preemptive military action against Iran's nuclear facilities.
"I believe the United States and Israel share the same goal -- not to allow a military nuclear Iran," Yaalon said.
"We might have differences, even disputes regarding how to get it but we have the open channels, the secretary of defense and myself.
"The bottom line is that Israel should be ready to defend itself, by itself."
Hagel said the negotiations between the powers and Iran were not open-ended -- the parties are working to a July 20 target for an agreement.
He said Washington was continuing to cooperate closely with its Israeli ally on the Iran issue, even while the negotiations continued.
"Because we're on a diplomatic track... does not preclude all of the other security and defense measures that we continue to pursue outside that diplomatic track, including this relationship with Israel," he said.
Hagel was on the last leg of Middle East, which also took him to Saudi Arabia, which has its own concerns about the nuclear talks with its regional rival.
Israel's defense minister said Thursday that Israel and the US should be prepared to use "all means" to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapons capability.
"I believe that it should be in the first priority of each of us to deal with this threat by all means, in all fields," Moshe Yaalon said at joint press conference with visiting US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.
The Pentagon chief's visit came as the United States and other major powers pressed talks with Iran on a long-term agreement to allay international concerns about its nuclear ambitions.
Israel has strongly opposed the negotiations with its arch-enemy, and has said repeatedly that it is prepared to go it alone if necessary with preemptive military action against Iran's nuclear facilities.
"I believe the United States and Israel share the same goal -- not to allow a military nuclear Iran," Yaalon said.
"We might have differences, even disputes regarding how to get it but we have the open channels, the secretary of defense and myself.
"The bottom line is that Israel should be ready to defend itself, by itself."
Hagel said the negotiations between the powers and Iran were not open-ended -- the parties are working to a July 20 target for an agreement.
He said Washington was continuing to cooperate closely with its Israeli ally on the Iran issue, even while the negotiations continued.
"Because we're on a diplomatic track... does not preclude all of the other security and defense measures that we continue to pursue outside that diplomatic track, including this relationship with Israel," he said.
Hagel was on the last leg of Middle East, which also took him to Saudi Arabia, which has its own concerns about the nuclear talks with its regional rival.
11 may 2014
Iran will not accept "nuclear apartheid" but is willing to offer more transparency over its atomic activities, President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday ahead of new talks with world powers.
Iran and the P5+1 group of nations will start hammering out a draft accord Tuesday aimed at ending a decade-long stand-off over suspicions that the Islamic republic is concealing military objectives.
"We have nothing to put on the table and offer to them but transparency. That's it. Our nuclear technology is not up for negotiation," Rouhani, referring to the West, said in remarks broadcast on state television.
"Iran will not retreat one step in the field of nuclear technology ... we will not accept nuclear apartheid," he said.
The self-declared moderate president has faced a battle from domestic critics of his diplomatic outreach since taking power last August.
Hardliners accuse Rouhani of making concessions for little gain under talks that have started to reverse the political isolation Iran grappled with under his hardline predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Other skeptics of the nuclear talks, including members of the US Congress, doubt Rouhani's sincerity in seeking a lasting agreement.
The world's leading powers have long suspected that Iran is developing the capability to build an atomic bomb, an allegation Tehran has repeatedly denied.
"We want to tell the world they cannot belittle the Iranian nation; they have to respect it," Rouhani said on Sunday.
Iran has suffered years of economic hardship exacerbated by international sanctions designed to coerce Tehran into curbing its nuclear work.
A potential deal under discussion between Iranian negotiators and counterparts from the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany -- under the P5+1 grouping -- this week will focus on the scope of Iran's nuclear activities.
Such an agreement will aim to render Iran incapable of making any push toward atomic weapons while also removing the sanctions.
The negotiators have a July 20 deadline, set by an interim deal reached in November that put temporary limits on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for modest sanctions relief.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, meanwhile, said Sunday problems such as the sanctions should not be linked to the nuclear talks, the IRNA news agency reported.
"Officials should address the question of sanctions by other means," he added, speaking at an exhibition about Iran's military capabilities organised by the powerful Revolutionary Guards.
He added that Iran will not limit its ballistic missile program as the United States, Israel and some European countries have demanded.
"The US and European countries call for Iran to limit its ballistic program while continually making military threats. Such an expectation is therefore stupid," he said.
Tehran has developed an extensive ballistic missile program, with some weapons capable of hitting targets 1,200 miles away, putting Israel and US regional bases within range.
Iran and the P5+1 group of nations will start hammering out a draft accord Tuesday aimed at ending a decade-long stand-off over suspicions that the Islamic republic is concealing military objectives.
"We have nothing to put on the table and offer to them but transparency. That's it. Our nuclear technology is not up for negotiation," Rouhani, referring to the West, said in remarks broadcast on state television.
"Iran will not retreat one step in the field of nuclear technology ... we will not accept nuclear apartheid," he said.
The self-declared moderate president has faced a battle from domestic critics of his diplomatic outreach since taking power last August.
Hardliners accuse Rouhani of making concessions for little gain under talks that have started to reverse the political isolation Iran grappled with under his hardline predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Other skeptics of the nuclear talks, including members of the US Congress, doubt Rouhani's sincerity in seeking a lasting agreement.
The world's leading powers have long suspected that Iran is developing the capability to build an atomic bomb, an allegation Tehran has repeatedly denied.
"We want to tell the world they cannot belittle the Iranian nation; they have to respect it," Rouhani said on Sunday.
Iran has suffered years of economic hardship exacerbated by international sanctions designed to coerce Tehran into curbing its nuclear work.
A potential deal under discussion between Iranian negotiators and counterparts from the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany -- under the P5+1 grouping -- this week will focus on the scope of Iran's nuclear activities.
Such an agreement will aim to render Iran incapable of making any push toward atomic weapons while also removing the sanctions.
The negotiators have a July 20 deadline, set by an interim deal reached in November that put temporary limits on Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for modest sanctions relief.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, meanwhile, said Sunday problems such as the sanctions should not be linked to the nuclear talks, the IRNA news agency reported.
"Officials should address the question of sanctions by other means," he added, speaking at an exhibition about Iran's military capabilities organised by the powerful Revolutionary Guards.
He added that Iran will not limit its ballistic missile program as the United States, Israel and some European countries have demanded.
"The US and European countries call for Iran to limit its ballistic program while continually making military threats. Such an expectation is therefore stupid," he said.
Tehran has developed an extensive ballistic missile program, with some weapons capable of hitting targets 1,200 miles away, putting Israel and US regional bases within range.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) is welcomed at Tokyo's Haneda airport on May 11, 2014
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Tokyo Sunday for a summit with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at which he is expected to raise the Iranian nuclear talks and economic cooperation.
Netanyahu is likely to press Japan to side with Israel over nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers when he meets Abe Monday afternoon, the Asahi Shimbun reported.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany will begin their talks in Vienna on Tuesday when they start drafting the text of a comprehensive and potentially historic deal.
In a nutshell, such an accord would reduce the scale of Iran's atomic program so as to render any dash to make nuclear weapons extremely difficult and easily detectable.
In return, all UN Security Council sanctions and additional unilateral sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports would be lifted.
Netanyahu is likely to call on Abe to oppose the lifting of sanctions, reflecting Israel's position that nothing short of a total dismantling of Iran's nuclear program is acceptable, the Asahi said.
Japan, which is heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil, has maintained friendly relations with Iran through its years of ostracism, keeping up a diplomatic dialogue that many developed countries cut off decades ago.
Along with China, India, and South Korea, Japan is among Iran's biggest oil export markets.
The West and Israel have long suspected Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons capability alongside its civilian program, something Tehran denies.
But since President Hassan Rouhani took office in Iran in August, hopes have been raised of an end to the long-running crisis.
A senior Israeli official told AFP in Jerusalem that the two sides would be discussing security issues from both regions.
"As part of the political dialogue, we'll be sharing our concerns about the Iranian nuclear program, they have their own concerns about the North Korean program, I'm sure we have a lot in common," the official said.
Abe and Netanyahu are also expected to agree to strengthen cooperation on countering cyber-attacks, Kyodo News reported, citing a government source.
They are also likely to agree to hold a security dialogue at their level and to increase exchanges between their defense officials, it said.
On the economic front, Netanyahu will likely to give a sales pitch for Israeli technologies as he will meet with Japanese business leaders on Tuesday, local media reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Tokyo Sunday for a summit with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at which he is expected to raise the Iranian nuclear talks and economic cooperation.
Netanyahu is likely to press Japan to side with Israel over nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers when he meets Abe Monday afternoon, the Asahi Shimbun reported.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany will begin their talks in Vienna on Tuesday when they start drafting the text of a comprehensive and potentially historic deal.
In a nutshell, such an accord would reduce the scale of Iran's atomic program so as to render any dash to make nuclear weapons extremely difficult and easily detectable.
In return, all UN Security Council sanctions and additional unilateral sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports would be lifted.
Netanyahu is likely to call on Abe to oppose the lifting of sanctions, reflecting Israel's position that nothing short of a total dismantling of Iran's nuclear program is acceptable, the Asahi said.
Japan, which is heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil, has maintained friendly relations with Iran through its years of ostracism, keeping up a diplomatic dialogue that many developed countries cut off decades ago.
Along with China, India, and South Korea, Japan is among Iran's biggest oil export markets.
The West and Israel have long suspected Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons capability alongside its civilian program, something Tehran denies.
But since President Hassan Rouhani took office in Iran in August, hopes have been raised of an end to the long-running crisis.
A senior Israeli official told AFP in Jerusalem that the two sides would be discussing security issues from both regions.
"As part of the political dialogue, we'll be sharing our concerns about the Iranian nuclear program, they have their own concerns about the North Korean program, I'm sure we have a lot in common," the official said.
Abe and Netanyahu are also expected to agree to strengthen cooperation on countering cyber-attacks, Kyodo News reported, citing a government source.
They are also likely to agree to hold a security dialogue at their level and to increase exchanges between their defense officials, it said.
On the economic front, Netanyahu will likely to give a sales pitch for Israeli technologies as he will meet with Japanese business leaders on Tuesday, local media reported.