This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

Mitt Romney, a leading Republican presidential contender, has called for regime change in Iran and said that the US should make clear to Tehran that it is "developing military options".

Romney made the call during a scathing attack on Barack Obama at a Republican Jewish Coalition forum of presidential candidates in which he accused the president of weak support for Israel, of appeasing America's enemies and of setting back peace in the Middle East with his fractious relationship with the Israeli leadership.

Before a hawkish, pro-Israel audience, Romney and another contender, Rick Santorum, dwelt at length on the threat posed by Iran's nuclear programme and what they characterised as Obama's weak response.

Romney called for "crippling sanctions" against Tehran and for Iran's diplomats and businessmen to be treated as pariahs.

"Ultimately regime change is necessary. We should make it very clear we are developing and have developed military options," he said.

Santorum said that on his first day in office as president he would ensure that the US and Israel are safe from Iran. But he didn't say how.

Romney launched a broad attack on Obama's foreign policy.

"Abroad, he's weakening America," he said. "He seems to be more generous to our enemies than he is to our friends. That is the natural tendency of someone who is unsure of their own strength, or of America's rightful place as the leader of the world."

But Romney repeatedly returned to the president's dealings with Israel. He accused Obama of "not finding time" to visit the Jewish state, drawing some boos and hisses from the audience. Romney promised to make a trip to Jerusalem his first foreign visit as president.

The Republican contender accused Obama of "insulting" the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and of "emboldening Palestinian hardliners".

Obama and Netanyahu have clashed repeatedly over Israel's continued expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, including plans for an entire new settlement and thousands of homes in others which are regarded by the Palestinians as evidence that the present Israeli government is not serious about a negotiated peace.

Romney, however, blamed Obama for the sour relations.

"President Obama has immeasurably set back the prospect of peace in the Middle East," he said.

A third speaker on Wednesday morning, Jon Huntsman, made only a cursory reference to Israel – saying this is the time for the world to understand that America stands with the Jewish state – and instead lamented at length the decline of US manufacturing.

Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann are to speak on Wednesday afternoon.

The meeting is an opportunity for the Republicans to once again question Obama's commitment to Israel, which has become a drum beat in recent months, particularly after the president stated the obvious in saying a two-state solution will be based on 1967 borders with land swaps.

But it is also a chance for leading Republican contenders to try and repair the damage done by a question about foreign aid at a candidates debate last month in which Perry said he wanted to scrap existing foreign aid commitments and then have each country justify assistance, including Israel. He was backed by Gingrich and Romney.

The candidates swiftly said after the debate that they expected aid to Israel to continue, but it still brought a torrent of criticism.

Romney also spoke at length about the economy, repeating earlier attacks on the president's strategy. But he did admit that Obama may not be easy to remove as an incumbent: "He will resort to anything. As you know, class warfare and demagoguery are powerful political weapons."

Huntsman was more melancholy. He offered several warnings about the contraction of US manufacturing industry and echoed a renowned speech on American malaise by President Jimmy Carter.

Huntsman said: "We are in a deep funk as people. We are dispirited. We are dejected".