Prospect of U.S. Military Action “High” If Iran Doesn’t Alter Nuclear Program, Lieberman Tells RFE/RL

WASHINGTON — Citing the failure to date of diplomatic initiatives and economic sanctions to reverse Iran’s nuclear weapons program, U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) told RFE/RL that the prospect of a U.S. military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities is “high.”

Lieberman gave his remarks yesterday in an interview with Radio Farda, RFE/RL’s Persian-language service to Iran, at the company’s Prague headquarters. During the interview, Lieberman responded to a range of questions, including some solicited from Radio Farda’s audience in Iran.

Watch clips from the interview here

Visit radiofarda.com to view the entire interview (translated into Persian)

Asked to respond to skepticism that a military attack would not destroy Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons, Lieberman said, “I think we have the capability either to eliminate the Iranian nuclear weapons program, or to disable it in a way that it will be delayed for enough years, that we may hope and pray that there will be a regime change and that there will be a more democratic and friendly regime.”

Lieberman lamented that the 2009 Green Movement protests did not accomplish regime change in Iran or succeed in pressuring the government to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons. He credited the movement, however, with inspiring the public protests that in recent years have brought political transformation to the Arab world.

During his visit, Lieberman spoke with members of RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi and Radio Mashaal about the impact of their journalism in Afghanistan and Pakistan, respectively. He also met with representatives of RFE/RL’s Belarus Service, telling them that the regime of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka was an “outlier,” reminiscent of governments “30, even 50 years ago,” and pledging his ongoing support of RFE/RL programs in support of freedom and democracy.

About RFE/RL
RFE/RL is a private, independent international news organization whose programs — radio, Internet, and television — reach influential audiences in 21 countries, including Russia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the republics of Central Asia. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).