Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Monday there was still time for diplomacy on the Iran nuclear issue but called for tough new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
"We still believe that it is still the time for diplomacy, tough diplomacy," Barak told reporters during an official visit to Austria on the invitation of his Austrian counterpart, Norbert Darabos.
He added that Israel recommended that no options, including military ones, "be removed from the table."
Iran, which is already under three sets of UN sanctions for refusing to halt uranium enrichment, recently announced plans to build 10 new uranium enrichment facilities. Tehran insists it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity, while Western powers suspect it of pursuing an atomic weapons program.
The United States and Israel have not ruled out military action against Iran to stop it obtaining nuclear weapons.
VIENNA, December 14 (RIA Novosti)
