Romney takes aggressive stand against Iran

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Mitt Romney is vowing to be an unwavering supporter of Israel and talking tough on Iran.

Speaking on Israeli soil, the Republican presidential candidate declared Jerusalem to be the capital of the Jewish state and says the United States has "a solemn duty and a moral imperative" to stop Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability.

Romney told an audience that included campaign donors that Iran's leaders "are testing our moral defenses" and trying to figure out "who will object and who will look the other way," as they speak of Israel's destruction. He says it would be naive to dismiss such talk as an excess of rhetoric. He vowed that the U.S. will never look away from its "passion and commitment to Israel."

Romney steered clear of overt criticism of President Barack Obama but said the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran "has only become worse" in the past five years.