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Diplomatic Efforts on Iran Going Nowhere, Israelis Say

[Toronto Star] Oakland Ross - Diplomatic efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons are going nowhere, say several top Israeli security experts. "No serious action is being taken," said Emily Landau, senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies. "It's difficult to avoid the disturbing conclusion that Iran will not be deterred by the international community." Even though Iranian President Ahmadinejad regularly rails against the Jewish state and has mused several times about its eradication, Landau and other experts say an attack on Israel is not the main reason for Tehran's pursuit of a nuclear bomb. "Iran is seeking to achieve a nuclear capability in order to enhance its regional influence," Landau said. "Israel is not Iran's primary concern. It's fourth or fifth." In a briefing Thursday for foreign journalists, Landau stressed that a nuclear-empowered Tehran would fundamentally alter the geopolitical landscape, not just in the Middle East but around the globe. "The Persian Gulf states are already in a state of near panic," she said. "In a very real sense, this is a global problem."
2008-10-24 01:00:00
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