Israel to US: Impose oil embargo on Iran

Deputy FM meets US under secretary of state to discuss Iranian nuclear, military threat; presents economic plan to sanction Iran without causing global price hike

Itamar Eichner|Published: 12.19.11 , 11:07

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon met with United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and Foreign and Defense Ministry officials on Sunday to discuss the ongoing Iranian nuclear and military threat and urged the US to impose an oil embargo on Iran, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

Sherman also met with the State officials during her official visit to Israel, including Mossad chief Tamir Fredo and National Security advisor Yaakov Amidror.

The Israeli officials presented Sherman with an economic model they believe would enable the US to impose an oil embargo on Iran's oil without causing a global price hike. According to the model, the world's biggest oil manufacturers, including Saudi Arabia, would be expected to increase production in order to reduce global dependency on Iranian oil supply.

"Israel and the US, with the international community's cooperation, are determined to prevent – and will prevent – a nuclear Iran," Ayalon said on Sunday.

American sources reported that after her visit to Israel, Sherman headed to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf emirates to see whether the Israeli plan has any chance of materializing.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials are attempting to get the biggest oil manufacturers on board so they might help set the plan into motion.

Ever since the last IAEA report was published, in which it was made clear Iran was hard at work to advance its nuclear capabilities, meetings between Israeli and US officials have become more frequent.

Just last month Ayalon headed a delegation which met in Washington to further the countries' strategic dialogue on the burning issue. They met with David Cohen, the State Department's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.