Israel's Call to Prevent a Nuclear Iran Must Be Answered, Ros-Lehtinen Says

(WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, made the following statement today after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:

“As Prime Minister Netanyahu noted, a nuclear Iran cannot be contained. Iran must be stopped, before it goes nuclear. I stand with our steadfast ally, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and urge all responsible nations to stand with us against a nuclear Iran. The United States cannot alone impose the crippling sanctions that are needed to stop the nightmare of a nuclear Iran from becoming a reality. 

“This afternoon, Prime Minister Netanyahu stood before the General Assembly and urged for responsible nations to set red lines on Iran, stating that the failure to place a red line invites more aggression than does their existence. Prime Minister Netanyahu cited the success of the red line drawn with regards to the closure of the Straits of Hormuz.  We must therefore learn from such successes and make clear to the Iranian regime that there is a red line that we will not permit them to cross.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s frustration is underscored by the UN’s own inertia.  Prominent members of the Iranian regime call for Israel’s destruction almost daily – Ahmadinejad  himself called for Israel’s elimination at a UN meeting on the ‘rule of law’ this week. Yet, even as the IAEA provides a continuous stream of evidence of Iran’s march towards a nuclear weapons capability in violation of UN sanctions, the UN has remained silent, with no real repercussions for the Iranian regime’s transgressions. 

“No longer can Iran be allowed to slip through the cracks. All sanctions measures must be fully enforced, no exceptions.  Otherwise, by next year’s General Assembly, the world may well be a much more dangerous place for the people of America, Israel, and all free nations.”

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