RAMALLAH: Israeli President Shimon Peres yesterday said that the union of western countries against Iran’s policies and the drop in oil prices has rendered the military option against the Islamic Republic unnecessary at this point.
“Iran’s leadership will also have to get up tomorrow morning and give food to their children. What will they give them? Enriched uranium?” Peres said during his visit to the Arab town of Sakhnin to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Adha.
According to Peres, following the election of US President Barack Obama and the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report indicating that Iran was moving forward with its nuclear program, “the United States, Europe and China must cooperate to lower the price of oil in order to curtail Iran’s frenzy, which did not stem from the West’s conciliatory efforts but rather from its divisiveness.”
“Had the West presented a united front against Iran, it would not have been able to develop its nuclear program to such an extent,” Peres said.
He added that due to the drop in the price of oil Iran will not be able to invest as much in its uranium enrichment program, long-range missiles “or other munitions.”
But reports on Monday suggesting Iran has recently tripled its missile arsenal have exacerbated Israeli concerns that the Islamic Republic remains tireless in its efforts to step up defensive capabilities against Israel.
According to the Israeli Channel 10 television, the number of Shihab-3 missiles in Iran’s possession has gone from roughly 30 at the start of 2008 to more than 100.
