Clinton warns of regional arms race

By Wajid Ali Syed – Washington Correspondent for Asian Tribune

Washington, 21 May, (Asiantribune.com): Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told senators Wednesday that if Iran obtains a nuclear weapons capability, it would trigger an arms race in the Middle East and beyond. She said the Obama administration is pursuing a diplomatic track on the issue with Iran but within a specific time-frame.

In testimony before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee nominally devoted to the foreign affairs budget, she said, "a nuclear-armed Iran with a deliverable weapons system is going to spark an arms race in the Middle East and the greater region. That is not going to be in the interests of Iranian security and we believe that we have a very strong case to make for that."

Clinton spoke in response to questioning from Republican Senator Judd Gregg, who called Iran a terrorist state, and noted Washington comments earlier this week by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that preventing a nuclear Iran should take precedence over Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.

The Secretary of State, echoing remarks by President Obama to the Israeli leader, said diplomacy on both issues can proceed at the same time. "The president made it clear that he is committed to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons with all of the consequences that that would entail. But at the same time we cannot wait on the Palestinian-Israeli efforts regarding peace. So we think they have to proceed simultaneously."

She said US outreach to Iran, expected to begin after that country's presidential election next month, will be time-limited but refused to be more specific. President Obama indicated Tuesday the United States would pursue tougher sanctions against Iran if diplomatic efforts fail to make progress by the end of this year.

Speaking about Pakistan, she there is "no basis for believing" that any US aid money going to Pakistan is being diverted to that country's nuclear program. She also said the United States has gotten reassurances from the Pakistani government about the safety of its nuclear arsenal.

Obama administration believes Pakistan is making an "all-out" effort to take back areas recently seized by the Taliban, she added.

- Asian Tribune -