US president allays fears of Israeli attack on Iran

Jamaican Times Monday 6th February, 2012

WASHINGTON - Amid an escalated tension threatening a nuclear conflict between the two nations, US President Barack Obama has said he did not believe Israel had decided on an attack on Iran to disrupt its atomic programme.

"I don't think that Israel has made a decision on what they need to do. I think they, like us, believe that Iran has to stand down on its nuclear weapons programme," Obama said in an interview, broadcast from the White House, with Matt Lauer of NBC.

"Until they do, I think Israel rightly is going to be very concerned, and we are as well."

Obama's comments came amid growing fears among world leaders of an imminent Israeli attack on Iran after a series of reports and public statements about it.

The root of the fear is Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak's statement last week at a high-profile security conference that military action may be needed to stop Iran's nuclear programme.

"There is no argument about the intolerable danger a nuclear Iran (would pose) to the future of the Middle East, the security of Israel and to the economic and security stability of the entire world," Barak said.

"Those who say 'later,' may find that later is too late. We mean what we say."