Nuclear-armed Iran “not an option”: Westerwelle
We share the Israeli concerns about Iran's nuclear programme
JERUSALEM, Sept 9, 2012 (AFP) - German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Sunday that a nuclear-armed Iran was “not an option”, as he called on Tehran for “substantial negotiations” over its controversial atomic programme.
“We share the Israeli concerns about Iran's nuclear programme,” Westerwelle said at the beginning of a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak in Jerusalem.
“A nuclear-armed Iran would not only pose a threat to Israel but to the stability of the entire region. A nucleararmed Iran is not an option,” Westerwelle said.
Tehran insists its atomic programme is completely peaceful, but Israel has warned that a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat and said it would take all necessary steps to prevent that from happening, not ruling out a pre-emptive military strike“We will keep up sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Iran. We still see room for diplomacy,” said Westerwelle in remarks relayed by his office. “We urgently call on Iran to enter in- to substantial negotiations. ”Sanctions by Western states as well as the United Nations Security Council aimed at forcing Iran to curb its nuclear activities have had a crippling effect on its economy, with the Islamist republic's currency on Sunday sliding to a new record low against the dollar.