Israel: Possible Iran deal to open nuclear sites up to inspections doesn't rule out military strike

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak reviews a military honor guard during a welcoming ceremony in Athens, Greece, Jan. 10, 2012. / AFP/Getty Images

(CBS/AP) JERUSALEM - Israel's defense minister said Iran's preliminary agreement to open its nuclear facilities to U.N. inspectors doesn't rule out a possible Israeli military strike.

Ehud Barak said on Wednesday that he's skeptical about the deal, which he calls an Iranian ploy to fend off international pressure to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

But Barak told Army Radio that buying time is a problem for Israel.

He says that a "nuclear Iran is intolerable and no options should be taken off the table." The phrase is Israel's oblique reference to the use of force.

Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Israel, along with the West, suspects that Iran is developing a nuclear bomb. Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran a mortal threat, citing Iranian calls for Israel's destruction, Iran's support for Arab militant groups and Iran's development of missiles capable of striking Israel.

Iran and six world powers are to meet in Baghdad later Wednesday for another round of nuclear talks.

U.N. nuke chief touts Iran deal; Diplomats dubious
At G-8 meeting, leaders "unified" on Iran
Iran, Syria among top for G-8 and NATO

In depth

Iran's nuclear sites »

On Tuesday, after the U.N.'s nuclear chief announced he had reached a preliminary deal to allow his inspectors to restart a long-stalled probe into suspicions that Iran is secretly developing nuclear arms, Barak said the Iranians are trying to create a "deception of progress" to stave off international pressure.

"Israel believes that a clear bar should be set for Iran that won't leave room for any window or crack for Iran to proceed toward military nuclear capability," Barak said during a discussion at the Defense Ministry, according to a statement from his office. "It's forbidden to make any concessions to Iran. World powers demands must be clear and unequivocal."

CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer reports that Western diplomats are skeptical about the deal. They feel that International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano felt a lot of pressure to reach an agreement with Iran and that he came back from Tehran with a lot less than he should have. Not reaching a binding, comprehensive deal fell short of expectations generally.

Barak held out the possibility that Iran be allowed to keep a "symbolic amount" of low-enriched uranium for medical or research purposes, but only if it is under "strict" international supervision.

Israel wants Iran to halt the enrichment of uranium — a key step toward building a nuclear bomb — and agree to ship most of its stockpile of enriched uranium out of the country and open its nuclear facilities to inspection.

[Jesus_to_ground_control]

Jews Are Psychotic

"EDT You may not realize that you misunderstand the meaning of the "chosen people", probably because you learned it in English so infer an entitlement. In Hebrew, G_d expressed it as an obligation, upon Abraham and his descendents, that was not accompanied by any right or privilege. You might reconsider the reason for your indignation." by HermannSchmettlapp May 23, 2012 12:50 PM

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Sorry Hermann, Jews are not God's only chosen people. Rather the chosen regroup all the good people* in the world.

*Without taking into account a person's race, color, language, religious convictions or not, political or other conviction, national or social origin, property or origin or age or other status, sexual orientation, including physical or mental illness or invalidity.

[sam_lowrey]

Israel is a terrorist state. Look up the King David Hotel bombing. One of those involved was even made PM! Israel needs to allow weapons inspections.

[formerlyluvnut]

There goes israel, running it's mouth, AGAIN.

[smittyc]

Pretty much same old rheetoric on both sides. Israel exist because of American foreign aid, kind of like an overseas Detroit, Iran exist because of the Soviet Union, and China who both need Irans oil and jointly obstruct American imperiallism.

[gmcgmc]

Soviet Union is the #2 largest exporter of oil. Really, oil is no intrinsic economic issue in this case.

[Lifesablast]

WE ARE ISRAEL...we are Gxxds Chosen People...no rules apply to us.
......
and the pathetic Baptists buy in.

[verrz]

To Hermann below: Thank you for that important bit of lingusitic information. There are other words in the Bible that, translated to English, do not reflect the original meaning. So to be chosen in the true Hebraic sense is more like an obligation that a free ride. I hope Israel feels more of an obligation to share her knowledge and insights with her neighbors. It is a tough neighborhood, I'll grant you that. All the best.

[faresthearab]

my friend you in very deep historical and religious matter are very close to arab people , dont get paranoic, if iran wanted tostart an overwhelming expansive war will be the first to strike more than 2000 thousand missiles directly to tour country, nothing happened so far , and why now to do that , just only keep getting dollars from U.S and share it with us having a nice party close to your stupid wall which show your abnormal behaviour we call it in medicine bypolar disease , and stop to talk about the number one teological group in the world, anyway i am happy that this is not an oficcial statement, otherwise a real east west cruzade will erase you from earth from the U.S to china, and iran only will take be an observer .- really i think iran will never strike israel, because despite they are fanatic, have also economic interest worldwide.- finnally do not as an advice write that kind of comments resulting in isolation from the rest 7,000 million people.- you only have been choosen to occupay the otthers owners lands to mantain your old allies depending on the point of rulling indirectly the arab world, dont tou feel it? it is a complicated game that you will understand when the real war begins and regret will not be possible an unstopable domino reaction from everywhere.- My last comment only is respect the human race and believes because are others thinking likke and against you.- My best wishes for that artificial country as the people within

[gmcgmc]

Another ploy by Israel to make itself bigger than what it is. Has anyone ever seen a country that only has 7 million people, and the size of an acorn, constantly in the world arena of news? At some point in time, people will grow weary of the bad wolf crying all the time. Maybe Hitler was being blackmailed like the rest of the world by the existing zionist power base?

[bleuxhardlies]

'mormonbishop' is 'mormoncult', 'factsasrebuttal', 'factual_rebuttal', 'savetheninetyninepercent', 'willard_romney', 'BishopRomney', 'GoogleMormonism', et. al.

he is a troll.

He fraudulently and regularly misrepresents himself as multiple commenters when he is but one person.

He is not associated with the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He's arrogant and thuggish actions represent some of the most basal hate speech the United States Constitution protects .. to a point long since past.

I believe he is either paid by an enemy of Western liberal democracies or suffering from a mental illness.

[kenkip]

Let Israel go for it and soon we will be rebuilding Tel Aviv. We
are so good at nation building we are still at work in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is not the 60's people.

[jrtaylor001]

These nutcases in Israel need to keep there mouths shut, if they want to open there yaps, it will be about peace, we know your becoming a less significant player in the middle east and you should prepare for it, all your war machine will be obsolete soon.Now sit down and shut up

[alex_glaz]

Europeans in the fifties were saying the Jews had it coming to them and Germans did the dirty job. Now, I am beginning to wonder if they were right all along.

[guyfrompa46]

This is a satll tactic by Iran. If you can't see that then you are very Naive.