Clinton says U.S. will prevent Iran from going nuclear

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington would use "all elements of its power" to prevent Iran from going nuclear and was working in "close consultation" with Israel over how to do so, AFP reports.

She said a resumption of talks between Israel and the Palestinians would only come about if the parties "do the hard work for peace."

Speaking to reporters at the end of a whirlwind 24-hour visit to Jerusalem, Clinton said that Iran not yet decided to curb its nuclear ambitions, and warned that Washington would stop at nothing to prevent it from getting a nuclear bomb.

"We will use all elements of American power to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon," she said in remarks which carried an implied threat of military action -- a course of action never ruled out by Washington.

“Thanks to U.S. efforts to rally the international community to tackle the Iranian nuclear threat, Tehran was under greater pressure than ever before,” Clinton said, indicating that the Obama administration was "pressing forward in close consultation with Israel."

"I think it is fair to say we are on the same page at this moment, trying to figure our way forward to have the maximum impact on affecting the decisions that Iran makes," she said.

Clinton arrived in Israel late on Sunday, July 15 at the tail end of a nine-nation tour, holding talks with top officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres, Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

Although Israel has warned a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to the Jewish state and has refused to rule out a military strike on its nuclear facilities, Peres expressed confidence in Washington's tough stance on Tehran.

"I think the coalition we have built, and the measures you have taken are beginning to have their impact... they are the right start," he told Clinton. "We appreciate very much your position. We trust its depth and dedication and determination and we feel partners of this coalition."

The US diplomat also briefed the Israelis on her talks with Egypt's new Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and sought to reassure them that the new Cairo administration had reaffirmed support for the peace treaty which she said had "served as a backbone for regional stability for more than three decades."