Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Iran cannot be prevented from gaining nuclear arms if it is not afraid of retribution, the Associated Press reported. «The Iranians have to be afraid. ... They have to be afraid that something will happen to them that they don't want to happen,» Olmert told reporters Wednesday after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Olmert would not elaborate on the message he delivered to Putin, but he said he had clarified to the Russians why in his mind «it is important for the Iranians to be afraid of the consequences.» Olmert said he understood from his talks with Putin and Russian security officials that «the nuclear issue troubles them very much. They definitely understand the importance and the gravity of the situation.»
