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Israeli DM says recent estimates underscore need to halt Iranian unclear drive

09 August 2012 18:56 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Thursday that recent U.S. and Israeli estimates on the status of Iran’s nuclear program give much more urgency to the need to halt Teheran’s nuclear drive, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Israel and the West say Iran’s purported civilian nuclear enrichment program is a cover for a weaponization project.

"As far as we know it, the intelligence assessments bring the Americans closer to us," he said.

Barak said that all the options regarding what to do to stop the Iranian plan "remain on the table."

"We and the Americans agreed not to allow Iran develop nuclear weapons and all options are open," he said.

Barak confirmed a federal National Intelligence Estimate report, submitted recently to U.S. President Barack Obama which says Iran made "surprising" progress in the research and development of key components of its nuclear plan.

"There is still no decision on how to operate," the defense minister said.

"We understand the gravity of the situation and we don’t have all the time in the world to decide. We will listen to all assessments and make the decisions," he said.

Barak also brushed off criticism of the government’s perceived decision-making process that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were keeping their own counsel on options for dealing with Iran.

"Any decision will be passed through the cabinet," he said.

A series of senior U.S. diplomatic and security officials visited Israel in the last six months, reportedly attempting to prevent it from attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

On Monday, Netanyahu told Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr that if Iran does get a nuclear bomb, it would use it and therefore must be stopped.

Last week, the prime minister said the decision whether to strike Iran will be solely Israel’s to make and specifically that of the elected political leadership.

Netanyahu’s statement was made amid reports of Israeli top security officials opposing an Israeli strike not backed by the United States.