Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Merkel in Congress: West must show zero tolerance to prevent Iran nuclear

(Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that Iran must be prevented from obtaining a nuclear weapon and that the country must be shown that the West has zero tolerance on the matter.

"Zero tolerance needs to be shown when there is a risk of weapons of mass destruction falling, for example, into the hands of Iran and threatening our security," Merkel said in translated remarks to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.

"Iran needs to be aware of this, Iran knows our offer but Iran also knows where we draw a line."

"A nuclear bomb in the hands of an Iranian president who denies the Holocaust, threatens Israel and denies Israel the right to exist is not acceptable," Merkel said, referring to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.