President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday they stand together in their efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but Netanyahu warned that time for diplomacy was running short. The two leaders met at the White House to discuss Iran's nuclear program and other Middle East issues amid talk speculation that Israel may attack nuclear sites in Iran. Speaking to the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee afterward, Netanyahu said Iranian research "continues to march forward" despite painful economic sanctions imposed on the Islamic republic. "My friends, Israel has waited patiently waited for the international community to resolve this issue. We've waited for diplomacy to work," Netanyahu said.
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" None of us can afford to wait much longer," Netanyahu warns
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Obama supports "principled diplomacy, backed by unprecedented pressure"
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"I mean it," the U.S. president says of a possible military option
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The prime minister says Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian threats
Barack Obama
Obama
"I reserve all options and my policy here is not going to be one of containment; my policy is prevention of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and, as I indicated yesterday in my speech, when I say all options are on the table, I mean it," @placeholder added.
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Netanyahu said he welcomed Obama's "strong speech" on Sunday and noted that @placeholder considers the United States and Israel to be similar foes.
Benjamin Netanyahu
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Netanyahu
@placeholder insisted that Israel will remain "the master of its fate" in ensuring that Iran not obtain a nuclear weapon.
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During the meeting, Netanyahu was expected to press Obama for clarity on what would constitute the "red line" on nuclear arms that would cause the United States to strike @placeholder.
Barack Obama
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He said @placeholder is "all talk and no action" on the matter of Iran and its putative nuclear aspirations.
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"I also appreciated the fact that he made clear that, when it comes to a nuclear-armed Iran, containment is simply not an option," Netanyahu said, "and equally, in my judgment, perhaps most important of all, I appreciated the fact that he said that @placeholder must be able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat."