Appearing on CBS’ Face the Nation, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reiterated the Obama administration’s resolve in preventing Iran from developing of a nuclear weapon. He stated that both a nuclear weapon and closing of the Strait of Hormuz constituted “red lines” over which the U.S. would take action. Still, he emphasized “the responsible thing to do right now is to keep putting diplomatic and economic pressure on them.” Regarding talk of a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear program, Panetta stressed that the U.S. and Israel have “common cause,” and the “better approach is for us to work together.”
President Obama’s top military adviser, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, also appeared on the Sunday news program and said that though Iran has the military power to close the Strait “for a period of time,” the U.S. would act to reopen it.