Barak: Iran raid ‘difficult’ during US talks
Israeli Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said in IDF’s annual work plan for 2009 that the military will make preliminary preparations for launching a war against Iran.
Israel says US-Iran talks should be "short" since the use of military force against Iran during the negotiations would be "difficult."
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Monday that once the new administration of President Barack Obama started dialogue with Tehran over its disputed nuclear program, any efforts to militarily take out Iranian nuclear facilities would become more difficult.
Barak made the remarks after Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said in an annual report that Iran was an "existential threat" to Tel Aviv.
Lt.-Gen. Ashkenazi said in IDF’s work plan for 2009 that the Israeli military will focus its funding on strategic airborne capabilities to counter Iran.
Israel has long threatened to launch airstrikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure under the allegation that Tehran is actively developing nuclear weapons.
Iran, a nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) signatory, contends that its only goal is to make use of the civilian applications of the technology.
The country has warned that in case of an attack against its interests, it would retaliate against attackers as well as those who aid and abet the aggressors.
The White House, under former President George W. Bush, accused Iran over its nuclear intentions and refused to directly engage the country to solve the controversy.
In an apparent U-turn shift, the newly-installed government of Barack Obama, however, has vowed to involve in "aggressive diplomacy" with Iranian leaders.Israel’s defense minister, however, was skeptical of such negotiations.
"We’ll see Iranian gestures and steps aimed at pushing off the issue," Barak said, while adding that any dialogue between Tehran and Washington should be "relatively short, and followed by deep sanctions."
Other links:
Israel ‘has faith in team Obama’
Open Direct Talks with Tehran
Bush’s Baggage
