Israel minister criticises Obama as too soft on Iran

JERUSALEM: An Israeli minister on Tuesday criticised US President Barack Obama for not taking a stronger line on Iran's nuclear ambitions during top-level talks with the Israeli leader earlier this week.

"We would have liked to hear clearer things vis-a-vis the Iranians," Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz told Israel's public radio.

"For four years, we have continuously heard that all the options are on the table," said the minister, who is considered close to Netanyahu. "Now it's time for a change."

"We must set an ultimatum, a clear timetable to set down a deadline for the Iranians to fundamentally change their attitude," Steinitz said.

"And if they don't do it, the Americans must say that they will impose an aerial and naval blockade on Iran... or they must decide to launch a military operation," he said.

At Monday's talks and during an earlier speech to a powerful pro-Israel lobby, Obama gave a strong nod to Israel's refusal to contemplate a nuclear-armed Iran, acknowledged its right to self-defence and vowed he would "not hesitate to use force" where necessary.

But he made clear that he would only contemplate a military option after all diplomatic options had been exhausted in order to allow biting new sanctions time to work.

Israel, however, sees an Iranian nuclear weapon as a threat to its existence and believes that Tehran may be on the cusp of "break out" capacity -- the moment when it could quickly produce weapons-grade uranium. (AFP)