Westerwelle: Nuclear-armed Iran 'not an option'

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Sunday that a nuclear-armed Iran was "not an option", as he called on Tehran for "substantial negotiations" over its controversial atomic program. "We share the Israeli concerns about Iran's nuclear program," Westerwelle said at the beginning of a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Jerusalem. "A nuclear-armed Iran would not only pose a threat to Israel but to the stability of the entire region. A nuclear-armed Iran is not an option," Westerwelle said. Tehran insists its atomic program is completely peaceful, but Israel has warned that a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat and said it would take all necessary steps to prevent that from happening, not ruling out a preemptive military strike. "We will keep up sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Iran. We still see room for diplomacy," said Westerwelle in remarks relayed by his office. "We urgently call on Iran to enter into substantial negotiations." Sanctions by Western states as well as the United Nations Security Council aimed at forcing Iran to curb its nuclear activities have had a crippling effect on its economy, with the Islamist republic's currency on Sunday sliding to a new record low against the dollar. EU foreign ministers meeting in Cyprus on the weekend said they were considering imposing further sanctions on Iran, voicing frustration at negotiations with the Islamic republic that have all but stalled.