PM to Putin: Increase sanctions against Iran - Haaretz

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Sun., October 21, 2007 ,

Israel Time: 02:07 (EST+7)

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PM to Putin: Increase sanctions against Iran

By Barak Ravid

Economic sanctions against Iran are working, but it is necessary to go further with them to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow yesterday.

Israel fears that both Iran and Syria are seeking to acquire nuclear arms, Olmert added.

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According to a senior defense official involved in the Iranian issue, the prime minister's hastily scheduled visit to Russia stemmed from a situation assessment two weeks ago that discerned a "significant retreat in Russia's position on continued diplomatic activity to impose sanctions on Iran via the Security Council."

But senior government officials said yesterday that Putin expressed great understanding for Israel's positions on all the issues discussed, and especially on the Iranian issue.

Olmert and Putin met privately for three hours.

The prime minister's aides later described the talks as "good, serious and open" and said Olmert was very satisfied with the outcome.

The aides rejected critics' charges that the hasty visit created a bad impression. "There were very good reasons to make this visit, and we're happy it took place," said one.

Olmert told Putin that Russia could exert a stabilizing influence in the Middle East, but only by "giving due weight to Israel's security interests."

Putin replied that Russian policy always takes Israel's security into account.

Putin briefed Olmert on his visit to Tehran earlier this week, while Olmert briefed the Russian president on Israel's intelligence assessments of Iran's nuclear program. Olmert said economic sanctions could persuade Tehran to halt uranium enrichment and its drive to acquire nuclear weapons, but to do so, they must be stepped up.

Olmert also gave Putin his assessment of progress on the Israeli-Palestinian track. According to the Prime Minister's Bureau, Putin praised Olmert for his efforts in this sphere and promised to do his best to make the upcoming international conference in Annapolis succeed.

Meanwhile, President Shimon Peres said yesterday that Iran is developing nuclear weapons to sow war and destruction. "Everyone knows what its true intentions are, and many intelligence organizations worldwide have clear evidence of this," the president said in a press statement. "Even if Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is not convinced that Iran is developing nuclear capabilities for the purpose of war, everyone knows what its intentions are."

"The world must open its eyes wide, before it is too late. Many times in history, it was already too late to prevent man-made horrors and bloodshed. That was the case with Stalin and Hitler, and now, we are approaching a similar situation with [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad," the president continued, adding Ahmadinejad calls openly for Israel's destruction and is investing billions in developing long-range missiles with nuclear warheads.

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