DM Barak's Comments on Iran
(Communicated by Josh Hantman, International Media Advisor,
MOD)

Following are comments made by Defense Minister Ehud Barak earlier today
(Monday), 30.1.12:

"Yesterday I returned from a few days in Davos. During the global forum, I
was able to meet with a host of leaders, ministers and economic figures. I
met with Palestinian PM Salam Fayyad, IAEA Director-General Yukiya Amano,
and Swiss Defense and Civil Protection Minister Ueli Maurer, among other
leaders.

Over the course of the various meetings we repeatedly emphasized our stance
that we must urgently intensify and broaden the sanctions against Iran. The
determination of world leaders is critical in order to prevent the Iranians
from advancing their military-nuclear program. We must not waste time on
this matter; the Iranians continue to advance [towards nuclear weapons],
identifying every crack and squeezing through. Time is urgently running
out. "