Mitt Romney, a leading Republican presidential contender, has called for regime change in Iran and said that the US should make clear to Tehran that it is "developing military options".
Romney made the call during a scathing attack on Barack Obama at a Republican Jewish Coalition forum of presidential candidates in which he accused the president of weak support for Israel, of appeasing America's enemies and of setting back peace in the Middle East with his fractious relationship with the Israeli leadership.
Before a hawkish, pro-Israel audience, Romney and another contender, Rick Santorum, dwelt at length on the threat posed by Iran's nuclear programme and what they characterised as Obama's weak response.
Romney called for "crippling sanctions" against Tehran and for Iran's diplomats and businessmen to be treated as pariahs.
"Ultimately regime change is necessary. We should make it very clear we are developing and have developed military options," he said.
Santorum said that on his first day in office as president he would ensure that the US and Israel are safe from Iran. But he didn't say how.
Romney launched a broad attack on Obama's foreign policy. » | Chris McGreal in Washington | Wednesday, December 07, 2011
