The Buckingham

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In a recent interview, Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak stressed that crisis between Israel and U.S. over Iran is ‘exaggerated’ and denies reports of growing distance between him and Netanyahu.

He has rejected recent reports that he no longer supports an eli strike on Iran, Israel’s Globes newspaper reported on Thursday.

“The Iranian threat is very serious,” Barak stated.”It is extremely important that when Israel says it cannot allow Iran to attain nuclear capability and that all options are on the table that it means it.”

Barak also refuted claims in the media that he has distanced away from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“I always see eye to eye [with Netanyahu],” Barak said. “We see a similar threat. But if we had already made a decision, you would have known by now.”

In the interview, Barak also dismissed speculations of tensions between Israel and the United States over the Iran. “I’m saying loud and clear: there is something wrong with the discourse taking place here. The descriptions of the crisis and the differences between us and the Americans are extremely exaggerated.”

Recently, several reports stated that a few senior Israeli officials suggested that Barak has done an about face and now opposes an Israeli attack on Iran in the near future.

Barak also hinted that U.S. military preparations in the Persian Gulf may eliminate Israel’s need to strike Iran.

“Israel retains its right to make sovereign decisions and the United States respects that,” Barak said at an Atzmaut party gathering. “However, one should not ignore the impressive preparations by the Americans to counter Iran on all fronts.”