Netanyahu urges crippling sanctions against Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called for the United States and the international community to consider "crippling sanctions" to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, during an interview with the American Broadcast Company.

"If you stop Iran from importing petroleum, then Iran simply doesn't have refining capacity and this regime comes to a halt. I think that's crippling sanctions," Netanyahu said.

The prime minister said the possibility that Iran could develop a nuclear weapons program is the "biggest issue facing our times," urging the international community to impose tougher sanctions against Iran.

Despite calls from the United States and Israel, the United Nations Security Council has not agreed on sanctions against Iran. In order to push for immediate sanctions, Netanyahu instead suggested going outside the UN Security Council for support.

"There's a coalition of the willing and you can have very powerful sanctions. I think this is a minimal requirement right now to not really to send messages but to actually make this regime begin to make choices. Because right now they feel they don 't have to make choices," Netanyahu added.

Both Israel and the United States believe that Tehran is secretly developing nuclear weapons and has been calling for sanctions on Iran for years, but the Islamic republic insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purpose.

Source:Xinhua