Last update - 00:00 16/05/2007
Obama to Haaretz: Pressure on Iran over nukes must be greater
By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent
WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama told Haaretz in an exclusive interview that the current level of pressure on Iran over its nuclear program is "is not enough."
"Iran continues to be a major threat to the U.S. and its allies," said the Illinois senator.
Obama reiterated his position that the U.S. should engage Iran in direct talks, but explained that these should be "low level talks" until there's "some sense of progress" such as voluntary freezing on the enrichment of uranium.
Obama expressed a "sense of urgency" in dealing with the matter.
A new bill, sponsored by Obama in the Senate, will require the federal government to publish a list of companies that have an investment of more than $20 million in the Iranian energy sector.
It will also authorize local governments to divest their pension funds from companies on the list and protect managers from lawsuits directed at them by investors who are unhappy with the decision to divest.
Read the full interview with Obama now on Rosner's Domain.