Region | Iran
Obama denies having approved attack on Iran
Repeats that US can't dictate to other countries about their security.
- By Jumana Al Tamimi, Associate Editor
- Published: 23:04 July 7, 2009
Dubai: US President Barack Obama on Tuesday became the latest official to deny that the US had given the "green light" to Israel to attack Iran, after his vice president's statements on TV were interpreted by some as suggesting this was the case, throwing the region into a state of anxiety.
In an interview with CNN, Obama sought to restore calm.
"Absolutely not," Obama replied when asked whether Washington had given Israel the go-ahead to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.
"We can't dictate to other countries what their security interests are," Obama said in the interview conducted in Russia, where he is on an official visit.
"What is also true is, it is the policy of the United States to try to resolve the issue of Iran's nuclear capabilities," Obama said. And this would be achieved "through diplomatic channels", he added.
The US president's statements are expected to go some way towards alleviating apprehension that America had given its blessing to an Israeli attack targeting the controversial Iranian nuclear facilities.
On Sunday, US Vice President Joseph Biden said in a televised interview that the US "can't dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and can't do". His words were interpreted as giving Israel the green light to eliminate Iran's nuclear facilities.
Tehran has repeatedly declared that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
Meanwhile, both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait denied reports in the Israeli media that they had agreed to turn a blind eye to Israeli warplanes crossing their airspace en route to Iran. Israel also denied these reports, which - together with Biden's statements - had been welcomed by some extreme-right wing politicians.
Meanwhile, Iranian Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani, formerly the country's top nuclear negotiator, warned that Tehran would hold Washington responsible for any such strike.
Iran, Larijani warned, "will consider the Americans responsible in any adventure launched by" Israel, a country he said that nobody can imagine acting "without getting the green light" from Washington.
Larijani was also quoted as warning that Iran's response to an attack would be "decisive and painful".
Analysts in Tehran ruled out the possibility of an Israeli strike, sharing with many experts abroad the view that such an attack would inflict "serious damage" to the region.
"From a strategic point of view, Israel will not attack Iran," said MashAllah Shams Al Waezeen, advisor to the Tehran-based Strategic Studies Centre.
"Iran's military readiness is very high to respond to any possible scenario," he told Gulf News.
However, some experts believe that while an attack would be difficult and risky, it is not impossible.
Previously, analysts had offered differing opinions on whether the US itself might be willing to risk an attack. But now that it has become clear that Obama is seeking to turn over a new page in relations with Iran, the chances of an American attack have faded.
However, some believe Israel may be willing to act alone.
"The question is this: Given the circumstances, would the Israelis be able to go out and do this themselves without having to answer to anybody else?" said Theodore Karasik, Director, Research and Development at the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf military. "I think the government in Israel at this time is more than willing to try to do this by themselves," Karasik added.
In seeking to alleviate Western pressure over its hard-line policies towards the Middle East peace process, Israel might try to create a new crisis in the region, thereby pressing the "reset button" on many fronts, some analysts and observers believe.
Israel might seek to take advantage of the "post-election turmoil [in Iran] that seems not to be abating at all", Karasik said.
However, Al Waezeen warned this could backfire.
In the event of an attack, "internal solidarity will be the main goal. Both reformists and conservatives will put aside their differences and unite against the external threat," he said.
- With additional inputs from agencies
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