Visiting U.S. Joint Chief of Staffs Mike Mullen (seen in photo) declared today that Washington was committed to Israel's security, voicing concern over the possibility that a war might erupt in the Middle East over Iran's contentious nuclear program.
Mullen arrived in Israel today for talks on Iran's nuclear program, as the United States and Israel were pushing world powers to support harsher sanctions against the Islamic republic.
He said during his visit that it was important to let diplomacy and international pressure work before looking into military options, adding: "While every situation has limits, we're not there yet."
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Iran on Sunday to reconsider its "dangerous" nuclear policy, saying Tehran's stance leaves the world community little choice but to impose "greater costs".
Hours earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored Israel's support of Clinton's declaration that "crippling" sanctions were needed to rid Iran of its contentious nuclear ambitions.
In her latest comments on the matter, delivered at a U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha on Sunday evening, Clinton said:
"Iran leaves the international community little choice but to impose greater costs for its provocative steps. Together, we are encouraging Iran to reconsider its dangerous policy decisions.
"We are now working actively with our regional and international partners, in the context of our dual track approach, to prepare and implement new measures to convince Iran to change its course," she added, speaking at a U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha.
Clinton added that evidence "evidence is accumulating" that Iran was trying to develop a nuclear bomb. The U.S. is in a favor of a peaceful solution, she said, but did not want to engage Iran "while they are building their bomb."
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Sunday that the United States expects to gain China's support for imposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
"We have the support of everyone from Russia to Europe. And I believe we'll get the support of China to continue to impose sanctions on Iran to isolate them," Biden said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program.
Beijing so far has been cool to the Obama administration's push for additional international sanctions on Iran.
Source: Matzav.com
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