Speaking of Iran's nuclear activities, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Army Radio: "Iran is in the midst of a very dangerous process. Steps must be planned in advance within a time frame that is not long. We don't have too much time. . . . We've resolved not to take any option off the table and we expect others to do the same."
Advertisement
A shift in Iran would not change nuclear policy
Even if contender and relative moderate Mir-Hossein Mousavi were to come to power, Iran's commitment to its nuclear program wouldn't change. But he could ease dialogue with the West.
Advertisement
The resolution of the political crisis is now the Iranian leadership's consuming concern. How that unwinds could -- at least in tone -- affect the nuclear question and other regional issues. Would Iran offer more transparency on its uranium enrichment? Would it use its influence with the radical group Hezbollah to calm Lebanon? Would it not interfere in the Arab-Israeli conflict? Or would Khamenei and Ahmadinejad grow more emboldened?
The questions are many, and Iran, as has been the case for 30 years, is not disclosing all its options.
--
jeffrey.fleishman@latimes.com
Times staff writer Paul Richter in Washington, Amro Hassan of The Times' Cairo Bureau and Batsheva Sobelman in the Jerusalem Bureau contributed to this report.
