U.S. envoy: We're ready to strike Iran

JERUSALEM -- The United States has plans in place to attack Iran, if necessary, to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons, Washington's envoy to Israel said, days ahead of a crucial round of nuclear talks with Tehran.

Dan Shapiro's message resonated yesterday far beyond the closed forum in which it was made: Iran should not test Washington's resolve to act on its promise to strike if diplomacy and sanctions fail to pressure Tehran to abandon its disputed nuclear program. He told the Israel Bar Association the United States hopes it will not have to resort to military force.

"But that doesn't mean that option is not fully available. Not just available, but it's ready," he said. "The necessary planning has been done to ensure that it's ready."

Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, like energy production. The United States and Israel suspect Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons.

Washington says diplomacy and economic sanctions must be given a chance to run its course, and is taking the lead in the talks between six global powers and Iran.

Israel, while saying it would prefer a diplomatic solution, has expressed skepticism about these talks and says time is running out for military action to be effective.

President Barack Obama has assured Israel that the United States is prepared to take military action, if necessary, and it is standard procedure for armies to draw up plans for a broad range of possible scenarios. But Shapiro's comments were the most explicit sign yet that preparations have been stepped up.

In his speech, Shapiro acknowledged the clock is ticking. "We do believe there is time. Some time, not an unlimited amount of time," he said. "But at a certain point, we may have to make a judgment that the diplomacy will not work." The U.S. envoy spoke Tuesday. The Associated Press obtained a recording of his remarks yesterday.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany are gearing up for a May 23 meeting with Iran in Baghdad.

In Tehran yesterday, top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili warned against Western pressure at next week's talks, which are a follow-up to negotiations in Istanbul last month that all sides praised as positive.

In the U.S. Senate, meanwhile, Republicans blocked legislation for new economic sanctions on Iran's oil sector, saying they needed more time to study the bill, a surprise move that drew anger from Democrats who wanted approval ahead of next week's talks.

"I feel I've been jerked around," Democratic leader Harry Reid said after Republicans said they could not immediately approve it. With Reuters