Clinton: U.S. and Israel aim to 'build the pressure' on Iran

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday the United States and Israel were "on the same page" in their determination to prevent Iran from achieving what the West fears its goal of building a nuclear bomb.

In Jerusalem on the last stop of an Asian and Middle East tour, Clinton said she and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "talked about concrete steps that we can take to continue to build the pressure" on Tehran.

Israel is widely thought to be the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons capability and, citing threats made by Iran's leaders to destroy it, has made clear it would attack the Islamic Republic if diplomacy fails.

Iran denies Western accusations of a covert agenda to develop a nuclear weapon, insisting it wants to stockpile enriched uranium solely to generate more electricity for a rapidly growing population and radio isotopes for medical use.

Talks between world powers and Iran to resolve the standoff have so far failed to secure a breakthrough.

Clinton said that while Washington would prefer a diplomatic resolution to the impasse with Tehran: "Our own choice is clear, we will use all elements of American power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon."

She accused Iran of failing to respond so far to diplomacy. "I made very clear that the proposals we have seen from Iran thus far within the P5+1 negotiations are "non starters," she said.

Referring to her meeting in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Clinton said "it's absolutely fair to say we are on the same page at this moment trying to figure our way forward to have the maxiumum impact on affecting the decisions that Iran makes".

Clinton's remarks and her visit, her first to Jerusalem since 2010, followed months of chilliness between Netanyahu and the administration of President Barack Obama, who faces a Nov. 6 re-election bid against a Republican rival who regularly accuses Obama of being insufficiently supportive of Israel.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney is also planning a visit to Israel this month. Obama has not visited the Jewish state as president.

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