Israel's Barak: Military Action May Be Needed Against Iran

Barak at the Herzliya conference—a think-tank near Tel Aviv.         

 

[Ehud Barak, Israeli Defense Minister]: 

"Today, unlike the past, there is a wide understanding in the world that if the sanctions will not achieve the desired goal of stopping the military nuclear program, there will be a need to consider taking action.”

 

Washington and the European Union have imposed tighter sanctions in recent weeks on both Iran's oil exports and on international financial transactions with Tehran. 

 

Tension between Iran and the West over Iran's nuclear work has increased since November, when the IAEA published a report that said Tehran appeared to have worked on designing a nuclear weapon.              

 

But Iran says its nuclear energy program is peaceful and aimed at generating electricity and other civilian uses.