IFP - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has dismissed the US Defence Secretarys baseless claims about Tehrans support for terrorism as well as the need for a regime change in Iran. Islamic Republic of Iran rejects the baseless and interventionist remarks made by US Defence Secretary James Mattis on regime change in the ...

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said Tuesday he shared with his U.S. counterpart his country's concerns about the direction of talks between world powers and Iran on its nuclear program. In an audio message released by Yaalon's office after his meeting with Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon, Yaalon said they also talked about the conflicts in Iraq ...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday Chuck Hagel "seems clueless" on U.S. policy toward Iran and he urged the Obama administration to reconsider its defense secretary nominee. In a statement, the South Carolina lawmaker stopped short of saying he would filibuster the choice if the president pushes forward as expected. No ...

WASHINGTON --President Obamas nominee for secretary of Defense, formerSen. Chuck Hagel, will stress at his confirmation hearing Thursday that he opposes lettingIranacquire nuclear weapons and will focus on developing military options to set back Tehrans program, according to a U.S. official familiar with his planned testimony. It will be Hagels first ...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel said the "window is closing" on Iran and the possibility of diplomacy if it continues to ignore international demands to end pursuit of a nuclear weapon. In his first opportunity to express his opinions since President Barack Obama nominated him Jan. 7, Hagel addressed a range of issues, from ...

The confirmation hearing for Chuck Hagel as defense secretary on Thursday will provide senators with a critical opportunity to probe the nominees views on Irans nuclear-weapons program. Lets hope the hearing is more illuminating than last weeks listless hearing for John Kerry as secretary of state. Some enlightenment about the administrations attitude ...

Chuck Hagel is pledging that as defense secretary he will focus intently on ensuring the U.S. military is prepared to strikeIrans nuclear facilities if needed. I agree with the president that theUnited Statesshould take no options off the table in our efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, Hagel said in written answers to policy ...

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Chuck Hagel in a meeting with Jewish organizational leaders affirmed his commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and maintaining Israel's qualitative military edge. "Sen. Hagel met with the leadership of several major American Jewish organizations at the White House as a part of his ongoing outreach," said ...

(Reuters) - Former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel's chances of becoming the President Barack Obama's defense secretary received a critical boost on Tuesday when two leading Senate Democrats said they had decided to vote to confirm him. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate, and Senator Barbara Boxer, a senior member of the Senate ...

President Barack Obama's controversial nominee for secretary of defense, Chuck Hagel, has sought to temper the concerns of pro-Israel lawmakers by backtracking on comments he made in 2006 about a "Jewish lobby" inWashington, and clarifying his position on Iran and Hizbullah. Hagel sent aletterto California Sen.Barbara Boxer, a Jewish Democrat, in ...

Last week, in his first interview since being nominated to be the next Secretary of Defense, formerNebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel told theLincoln Journal Star: I have not supported unilateral sanctions because, when it is us alone, they dont work and they just isolate the United States. United Nations sanctions are working. When we just decree something,...

The constellation of new national security/foreign policy appointees coalescing around President Barack Obama for his second term bears all the hallmarks of an overriding priority issue: Iran. Obama has assembled a team perfectly positioned to present itself to Iran as offering the best deal possible. Failing that, it is also the ideal group to convince ...

In mySunday column, I predicted that 2013 will bring another round of brinkmanship withIranover itsnuclear program. The United States and its allies will pressTehranto stop enriching uranium, Iran will say no,Israelwill warn that its patience is running out, and sabers will be rattled all around. Among those who agree areDennis Ross, who wasPresident ...

President Obamas nomination of Chuck Hagel was meant to send a message, and it has: That President Obama is not serious about stopping Irans nuclear weapons program, and that Tehran has an anti-Israel ally in the presidents war cabinet. Chuck Hagels misguided policies on Iran and the Middle East have already received considerable coverage. Chief among ...

A top Iranian commander says the Islamic Republic has not trusted and will not trust claims made by US officials unless they make practical changes to their attitude vis--vis Iran. The Islamic Republic has not and will not trust the words of US authorities, unless practical changes are made, Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps ...

An ad from a pro-Israel group oversimplifies Chuck Hagel's foreign policy positions in an attempt to portray Obama's choice for secretary of Defense as soft on Iran.   The ad claims Hagel voted against sanctions on Iran. It's true that Hagel opposed unilateral U.S. sanctions, but he has voiced support for multilateral sanctions, such as ...

Expert tells 'Post' the decision by US President Barack Obama to appoint Chuck Hagel as defense secretary raises questionsover Washingtons commitment to preventing Iran from going nuclear. The decision by US President Barack Obama to appoint Chuck Hagel as defense secretary raises questions over Washingtons commitment to preventing Iran from going ...

Opponents of chuck Hagel's nomination to be the U.S.'s next Secretary of Defense claim he is outside the mainstream in his views on Israel. Hagel's actual policy positions don't reflect that. On many issues, he sounds a lot like Israeli President Shimon Peres, who lamented in an interview published Jan. 9 by the New York Times that Israel was not doing ...

(Reuters) - Chuck Hagel, President Barack Obama's pick to become the next U.S. defense secretary, has begun calling critics in the Senate in an attempt to clarify his views about how to deal withIran, Hezbollah and Hamas before his upcoming nomination hearing. The decorated Vietnam veteran's Republican credentials have done little to rally support ...

A pro-Israeli site reportedThe Atlantic Council, a think tank chaired by defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel which last month published a column titled Israels Apartheid Policy, during the same month predicted that Iran should be viewed as a potential natural partner for the U.S. The Washington Free Beacon reported that the think tanks December ...