BICOM

Vice President Joe Biden, yesterday reaffirmed the White House’s tough stance on Iran’s alleged efforts to gain nuclear weapons. Biden promised economic sanctions would have crippling effect on the Iranian regime.

“The U.S. policy under Barack Obama is not one of containment. It is straightforward. We will prevent Iran from acquiring a nuke by whatever means necessary, period,” Biden said during his appearance at a rabbinical assembly Atlanta.

Vice President Biden added that Israel still has time to strike Iran and it must decide itself whether to do so. “The window has not closed in terms of the Israelis if they choose to act on their own militarily,” He said. “I would not contract out my security to anybody, even a loyal, loyal, loyal friend like the United States,” Biden said.

Biden also said that Israel’s perception of Iran as an existential threat was “justifiable.”  adding that efforts to delegitimise Israel were  “the most significant assault” on Israel since its independence. The vice president also told the audience that “At every point in our [Obama] administration, at every juncture, we have stood up for the legitimacy of the state of Israel.”