Middle East, Nuclear Weapon | featured news

President Barack Obama on Monday emphasized his vision for a nuclear-free world and warned that North Korea and Iran should shun nuclear weapons or face tough action from the international community.

President Obama will join the leaders of more than 50 countries in Seoul, South Korea, next week for a nuclear security summit.

The United States exempted Japan and 10 EU nations from financial sanctions because they have significantly cut purchases of Iranian crude oil, but left Iran's top customers China and India exposed to the possibility of such steps.

The body that handles global banking transactions says it will cut Iran's banks out of the system on Saturday to enforce EU sanctions.

Nine years ago, the United States invaded Iraq after telling the world that Saddam Hussein had covert weapons programs that could build nuclear arms. In the end, nothing was found. Today, acting on similar fears, Israel is threatening to attack Iran.

President Obama sharply criticized his Republican presidential rivals Tuesday for talking “casually” about going to war with Iran, saying that when such decisions are made for political reasons, “we make mistakes.”

The offer to restart talks came in a letter from EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Speaking before the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Mr. Obama reiterated that he would not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran.

President Barack Obama says he isn't bluffing when he says Iran shouldn't have a nuclear weapon, but he cautions against a premature Israeli strike against the Islamic republic.

Growing concerns over Iran’s nuclear facilities may prove to be all for naught. Officials from the global intelligence company Stratfor allegedly discussed that Israel may have already destroyed the Iranian nuclear facility, according to one of the emails released by Wikileaks Monday.