US ambassador on Iran: All options are open
Dan Shapiro tells US Jewish leaders that while economic pressure showed certain effect on Tehran, Washington also prepared other means of action
United States Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said Thursday at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations that Israel and the US are fully coordinated in regards to the Iranian issues. He added that "all options are open" and that the US has prepared means to implement those options.
The US ambassador said that sanctions on Iran were working and that more economic pressure must be put on the Islamic Republic to make it abandon its nuclear program.
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He gave examples to the sanctions' success pointing to the Iranian currency devaluation . Shapiro said that while Tehran has yet to abandon its nuclear ambitions, the US continues to push hard in that direction and has made sure that means for "other options" are available.
Shapiro and PM Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom, GPO)
The ambassador said that US and Israeli defense officials held various meetings and noted that the two nations are highly coordinated in relation to the Iran issue. Shapiro added that Israel rightfully regards Iran and its nuclear ambitions as a major threat, both on her, the US and its allies in the region.
President Shimon Peres also addressed the conference and reiterated the message that all options are on the table. "We really mean it," he added. "Israel is a sovereign state and has the right to defend itself against any threat."
The president said he is aware of global sanctions against the Islamic Republic but claimed that this was no reason to stop being vigilant. He said that Israel has witnessed President Barack Obama's ability to lead a coalition together with Europe and other countries against Iran and added that those nations' leaders share Israel's outlook of increasing sanctions while keeping all options open.
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