Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade noting the continuing threats by the US President to support an Israeli pre-emptive military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities, if he will acknowledge that these threats are breaches of the UN Charter and International Law. [41836/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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In his address to the UN General Assembly on 25 September last, President Obama said: “America wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy, and we believe that there is still time and space to do so. But that time is not unlimited.” This is consistent with the serious, patient and protracted efforts of the United States Government over many years, working closely with the European Union and the Governments of Russia and China, to engage Iran in a diplomatic dialogue to resolve the serious concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme - concerns which are shared by Ireland, by the EU, by the wider international community, and by the International Atomic Energy Agency. All recent reporting and analysis of the issue has acknowledged continuing US efforts to discourage any immediate recourse to military action against Iranian sites.

The Government, in concert with our European partners, fully support a diplomatic solution to this issue. Furthermore, the Government has equally and consistently been clear in advocating with EU and international partners that it is only through the path of diplomatic negotiations that the serious issues arising from Iran’s nuclear programme can be resolved. It is regrettable that thus far Iran has not been willing to engage in negotiations on the issue with the necessary seriousness and commitment. We hope very much that this will change.