Iran is buying time to build nuclear weapons

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran is "buying time" during talks with world leaders in order to continue its efforts in achieving a nuclear bomb.

Netanyahu, who spoke at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, commented on the talks held between Iranian officials and members of the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, Britain, the United States and Germany) held last week in Kazakhstan.

"My impression is that the only thing achieved by these talks is stalling," Netanyahu said. "Iran intends to continue enriching fissile material for a nuclear bomb," he added.

"Iran is getting closer to its goal," the prime minister warned.

"While they (the Iranians) are uniting their efforts, we must do the same. Sadly this is not the case. I'll continue in next days to try and unite our camp," Netanyahu concluded.

On Wednesday, as the talks between the world leaders and the Iranians drew to an end, Netanyahu said that the international community has to issue a military threat against Iran.

"We have the problem of Iran that is continuing to defy the international community, doesn't seem to seek an end to its military nuclear program," Netanyahu said last week.

"The international community has to ratchet up its sanctions and make clear that if Iran continues down this road there will be credible military sanctions," he added.

In addition, the outgoing Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is set to travel on Sunday to Washington and hold talks with Defense officials, regarding the Iranian nuclear threat.

In the past year, Netanyahu and Barak have mentioned a possible military strike against Iran as a viable option in different statements.

According to Israeli treasury officials, the country had spent nearly $3 billion in 2012 in preparations for a possible armed conflict with Iran.