Moshe Ya�alon, who recently joined the Likud Party, denies the accuracy of a report appearing in the Sidney Morning Herald stating he calls for the elimination of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The Herald reports that Israel is preparing a strike against Iran, but Ya�alon stated the report is baseless.

The article quotes the former IDF chief of staff as saying without defeating the Iranian regime; there cannot be peace in the region.

Ya�alon stated �the regime in Iran can be defeated by economic, political and other sanctions, and the military option is only a last resort�. He stated putting his name to any other statement is simply not correct.

He added that he was chief of staff in 2003, and he was surprised by America�s decision to enter Iraq, not Iran. He said �unfortunately, the Americans did not have a desire to enter Iran.�

(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)