JERUSALEM: The United States will use "all elements of American power" to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said late on Monday at a press conference in Jerusalem.
"We will use all elements of American power to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon," she said in reference to Tehran's disputed nuclear programme, which Washington and much of the West believes is a cover for a weapons drive.
Her remarks, which carried an implied threat of military action -- a course of action never ruled out by Washington -- came just days after the United States imposed a wave of fresh sanctions on Iran targeting companies tied to Tehran's procurement, petroleum, and shipping networks.
And she accused the Islamic Republic of presenting unworkable proposals in its talks with the P5+1 world powers.
"I made very clear that the proposals we have seen thus far from Iran within the P5+1 negotiations are non-starters," she said of the latest round of talks, which took place in Istanbul earlier this month.
"Despite three rounds of talks it appears that Iran has yet to make the strategic decision to address the international community's concerns and fulfil its obligations."
Following a day of top-level talks with the Israeli leadership over a range of regional issues, Clinton said the Obama administration was "in close consultation with Israel" over ways to increase the pressure on Tehran.
"We talked about concrete steps that we can take to continue to build the pressure," she said.
"We are pressing forward in close consultation with Israel.... And I think it is fair to say we are on the same page at this moment, trying to figure our way forward to have the maximum impact on effecting the decisions that Iran makes."
Because of US efforts to rally the international community to tackle the Iranian nuclear threat, Tehran was "under greater pressure than ever before. That pressure will continue and increase," she said.
"We all prefer a diplomatic resolution and Iran's leaders have the opportunity to make the right decision. The choice is ultimately Iran's," she added.
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@ j. von hettlingen
Lion is the animal symbol for Iran which, as you correctly stated, existed in the time of the Shah. However, the lotus is one of the more apt national symbols of Persian culture and this is more relevant today than ever before because the plant rises from the mud, i.e Iran became self sufficient through perseverance, diligence and hard work.
The problem is simple : US (and it's 'benefactor' Israel) being the centre of capitalism and terrorism are greedy. They need oil and gas but at the same time want to maintain the dollar as the global currency for hydrocarbon trading. Iran wants to revert to a euro based trading mechanism - this would be a death knell for the USD.
Before the Islamic Revolution in 1979 the lion was Iran's best-known symbol. Now the current regime is like a cornered lion, which - fierce and dangerous - would do anything to get itself out of the impasse.
@Ameer Mirza: What analysis are you referring to?
@Cautious: Dear Cautious, I do not know what the answers to the world problems are, but am sure that America, getting its instruction from Zion, is causing most of them. With this in mind I am reasonably sure that most people, who have not been totally conditioned, will be sympathetic towards Iran.
Nice analysis
Ameer Mirza www.ameermirza.wordpress.com
The Iranians don't give a jot for your jets, missiles and bombs..... they are a nation in expectation of 'the awaited one' so they will continue to strive, live and pursue that expectation.
An interesting point :
Years ago, the US asked the then President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, to talk to the Iranians in an effort to get them to back down on their nuclear 'ambitions'. Musharraf spoke to Ahmedinejad and asked him not to embark on a policy of confrontation with the west over it's Nuclear program as the US will bomb Iran and many innocent people will get killed and Iran's infrastructure will get obliterated. Ahmedinejad looked coolly at Musharraf and said, 'Do you doubt the resolve of the Iranian Revolution ?'
The simple thing is this : The Iranians are an example to fellow Muslims, that you can only stand up to a bully when your Imaan and reliance is based upon absolute conviction to the will of Almighty Allah. Remember, the Iranians are war hardened. They lived through 8 years of the first Persian Gulf war with Iraq, when all the Arabs and the West were funnelling in arms to Saddam to use against the Iranians. The Iraqis could not conquer even an inch of Iranian territory.
The Iranians are ready, they know sooner or later that there will be some sort of aggression directed towards them. Iran is not a pushover like Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya because unlike them, the vast majority of the nation is behind their leaders.
@Doch
Will there be war -- probably -- but I can't think of any country that is going to take up arms on behalf of Iran so your prediction of WW3 is inappropriate.
@S:
So, you will join the war once it starts?
Third world war is already going on but this time it will last for about four decades i.e. from 1990 to 2030 .and the country who will use WMD first, that country will be wiped out from the map .
“Despite three rounds of talks it appears that Iran has yet to make the strategic decision to address the international community’s concerns and fulfil its obligations.” -
Please don't include India in the international community. A nuclear Iran is not even a threat for the ordinary Jews, let alone the world community. We Indians are doing fine with nuclear neighbours like Pakistan and China by improving ties. So, Iran is not at all a problem for us.
If US goes for another war then it will be their greatest misadventure. Don't let the Zionists laugh and the Islamists seek another opportunity to spread terror. Let there be peace !
Rhetoric against Iran on Israel soil by a US politician in the election times does not worry me at all.
Oh ! not again, please spare this region from more misery. Iran misadventure would surely end up for US as mother of all debacles, which started from Vietnam onwards and continued till Afghanistan regardless without achieving any objectives. All these compaigns resulted in colossal loss of human lives, destabalisation of respective regions and wasteful expenditure amounting to billions of dollars.
then bring it on! INSHALLAH America will learn the lesson...if they havnt yet.
She does what she says !! Get ready for the 3rd WW, here it comes folks !