'Military option against Iran "ready" '

Iran should be persuaded to give up its nuclear weapons programme though diplomacy and "use of pressure," rather than military force, but the military option is prepared, US Ambassador Dan Shapiro said in remarks reported Thursday, dpa reported.

The Israeli daily Makor Rishon quoted him as telling a closed forum earlier this week in Tel Aviv that the military option was not just available, but was "even ready. The necessary planning has been done to ensure that it's ready," he said.

"Because we don't know whether diplomacy will work, all the options - including the military one - are on the table. We believe there is a small amount of time, not unlimited - in effect, a small window - in which we can use diplomacy to achieve our aims," he said, according to the Israeli newspaper.

Shapiro said that at a certain stage "we will have to decide whether diplomacy is working. We have to give it every opportunity since Israel and the US believe it is better to solve the problem though diplomacy and use of pressure, rather than though force."

Israel's outgoing Air Force chief, meanwhile, said in an interview broadcast Thursday night that the air force was "trained and ready" for the missions that lie ahead.

"The Israel Air Force understands the missions it may be carrying out. It is devising operational plans. It is building its strength. It is innovating," Major-General Ido Nehushtan told Channel 2 News.

He refused to answer whether he was referring to any scenario involving Iran: "I think with that I've said quite a lot."

Israel views Iran's nuclear weapons programme as its biggest existential threat, given the frequent comments by Iranian leaders that the Jewish state should be erased from the map.

Although Israeli leaders have never explicitly and openly threatened to attack Iran, they have clearly hinted that a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities cannot be ruled out if it is the only way to delay, or even prevent, Tehran from developing an atomic bomb.


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