Iran has helped terrorists in Afghanistan

"Understandably, Israel is very concerned when the president of a country, a large country near them, states that they should be wiped off the face of the earth," Obama said, referring to comments by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Obama said Iran could play a constructive role in stabilizing neighboring Afghanistan and that the United States was willing to work with Tehran toward that goal. But also said, "Behind the scenes, we see evidence that occasionally, they have, actually, helped insurgents in ways that end up harming our troops (in Afghanistan)."

U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks "offensive" and "hateful."


Mr. Obama also commented on Iran's nuclear program in the interview.  He told the BBC  there are a "host of options" available if Iran does not cooperate with nuclear regulators.

He also commented on Iran's apparent repression of opposition activists following last year's disputed presidential election.  Mr. Obama said the U.S. has no interest in "meddling in the rights of people to choose their own government."  But he said the U.S will speak out "forcefully" when it sees a government abusing and oppressing its own people.

New sanctions are crucial.

"I do not think we have lost the opportunity to stop the Iranians from having a nuclear weapon, developing nuclear weapons," Gates said. "I think that the clock is ticking."

"One of the many benefits of a resolution is that it will provide a legal platform for individual nations to then take additional actions that go well beyond the resolution itself," Gates said. "And I believe a number of nations are prepared to act pretty promptly."

Also speaking to reporters, British Defense Secretary Liam Fox said that if Iran develops nuclear weapons, it could set off a nuclear arms race in the Mideast.

"After all the sacrifices that both our countries [Britain and the United States] made getting us to the end of the Cold War, limiting nuclear proliferation and having just celebrated last year 20 year since the fall of the Berlin Wall, we surely want to do more than leave the next generation a legacy of a new nuclear arms race in the world's most unstable region," Fox said.

Gates expressed hope that diplomacy and pressure will persuade Iran that nuclear weapons will not enhance, but undermine its security.

Russia: Iran's noncooperation 'very alarming'

Russia's foreign minister says he is "very alarmed" over Iran's failure to prove its nuclear program is peaceful.

Sergey Lavrov spoke on the independent-leaning Ekho Mosvky radio station in an interview Friday.

He said "we are very alarmed, and we cannot accept that Iran is refusing to cooperate" with the global nuclear oversight body, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Lavrov said he did not understand the need for Iran to conduct its nuclear program in secret, withholding information from the IAEA.

Hillary Clinton warned of an arms race if Iran acquires a nuclear bomb

If Iran acquires a nuclear device it could trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, which would create "dangerous" problems in the region.

"Everyone who I speak with in the Gulf, including the leaders here and leaders elsewhere in the region, are expressing deep concern about Iran's intentions," she said, calling Iran "the largest supporter of terrorism in the world today."


If Iran gets a nuclear weapon, she said, the hope of a nuclear-free Middle East disappears "because then other countries which feel threatened by Iran will say to themselves, 'If Iran has a nuclear weapon, I better get one, too, in order to protect my people.'
"Then you have a nuclear arms race in the region," she said.

Netanyahu told Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Monday that if Iran managed to develop nuclear weapons, the rest of the Muslim world would follow suit, as Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia would soon begin their own nuclear programs, an Israeli official told Reuters.

Iran would be making a "tragic mistake" if it thought the world would not respond to its nuclear programme.

Iran would be making a "tragic mistake" if it thought the world would not respond to its nuclear programme.

Open the site to international inspectors, or face consequences

"My offer of a serious, meaningful dialogue to resolve this issue remains open," Obama said.

"But Iran must now cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and take action to demonstrate its peaceful intentions."

Obama accuses Iran of building secret nuclear plant

"It is time for Iran to act immediately to restore the confidence of the international community by fulfilling its international obligations," Obama said, adding that Tehran had been building the plant in secret for years.

Obama accused Iran of "breaking rules that all nations must follow" and called for international inspectors "to immediately investigate this disturbing information."

Sarkozy said Iran was taking the international community down a "dangerous" path and threatened new sanctions if Iranian leaders did not change course by December.


Brown said Iran's defiance should harden the resolve of the international community, which must now "draw a line in the sand" against Tehran.

It is important to do what has to be done in order to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon

The Obama Administration believes that it is important to do what has to be done in order to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, he said. Among them are, he said: "A host of things, including I think beginning by engaging directly with them, so that they can live up to their own responsibilities in not pursuing that technology."

Iran waiting for Khamenei's order to build N-bomb: Report

Iran intimidates western powers

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday Iran's intentions were unclear following its election and that President Barack Obama's offer of talks with Tehran was not open-ended.

US plans to halt Iran by ‘defence umbrella’

The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, warned Tehran on Wednesday that Washington may extend a “defence umbrella” over the Middle East to negate any advantage Iran might seek in developing nuclear weapons. Previously, senior US government officials maintained Iran ultimately would be prevented from building a bomb. Tehran insists its nuclear programme solely for the peaceful generation of electricity.

“We want Iran to calculate what I think is a fair assessment: that if the United States extends a defence umbrella over the region, if we do even more to support the military capacity of those in the Gulf, it’s unlikely Iran will be any stronger or safer, because they won’t be able to intimidate and dominate, as they apparently believe they can, once they have a nuclear weapon.”

“Gulf leaders are very worried about Iran’s nuclear programme –it’s their top priority at the moment, even more than the Israeli-Palestinian question. Of course, these countries will also end up financing any defence umbrella.”

Obama:Violence affects hope for dialogue with Iran

Their bravery in the face of brutality is a testament to their enduring pursuit of justice. The violence perpetrated against them is outrageous.

"Iran's possession of nuclear weapons will trigger an arms race in the Middle East that would be bad ... for the security of the entire region," Obama said.

"So even as we clearly speak out in a unified voice in opposition to the violence that's taken place in Iran, we also have to be steady in recognizing that the prospect of Iran with a nuclear weapon is a big problem."