Netanyahu says Iran yet to cross nuclear 'red line'
Israeli Prime Minister earlier drew a red line, a point at which its foe would be able to build a nuclear bomb.
Israel has refused to rule out a pre-emptive military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. PHOTO: FILE
JERUSALEM:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Monday that Tehran's nuclear programme was getting closer to crossing a crucial "red line" but had yet to reach it.
"It has not yet crossed the red line which I laid out in the United Nations but it is systematically approaching it and we cannot let it cross," he told senior members of his Likud-Beitenu political alliance in remarks broadcast on public radio.
In a September speech to the UN General Assembly Netanyahu described Iran's progress in uranium enrichment and drew a red line referring to the point at which Israel believes its arch foe would be able to build a nuclear bomb.
In a visit to Israel last week US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel vowed an "ironclad" committment to the Jewish state's security, citing the planned multi-billion dollar sale of advanced US aircraft and missiles.
He also insisted there was no serious rift between American and Israeli leaders over how to prevent Iran from attaining a nuclear weapons capability.
Israel, believed to be the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, has refused to rule out a pre-emptive military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, which the Islamic republic says are for peaceful purposes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Monday that Tehran's nuclear programme was getting closer to crossing a crucial "red line" but had yet to reach it.
"It has not yet crossed the red line which I laid out in the United Nations but it is systematically approaching it and we cannot let it cross," he told senior members of his Likud-Beitenu political alliance in remarks broadcast on public radio.
In a September speech to the UN General Assembly Netanyahu described Iran's progress in uranium enrichment and drew a red line referring to the point at which Israel believes its arch foe would be able to build a nuclear bomb.
In a visit to Israel last week US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel vowed an "ironclad" committment to the Jewish state's security, citing the planned multi-billion dollar sale of advanced US aircraft and missiles.
He also insisted there was no serious rift between American and Israeli leaders over how to prevent Iran from attaining a nuclear weapons capability.
Israel, believed to be the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, has refused to rule out a pre-emptive military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, which the Islamic republic says are for peaceful purposes.