Berlin (dpa) – Israel would be “totally crazy” to launch military strikes against Iran as this would make the Islamic republic determined to acquire a nuclear arsenal, Mohammed ElBaradei, the former chief of the UN nuclear watchdog, told dpa. Asked during an interview in Berlin if an Israeli strike was imminent, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said: “I don't think so. I think anybody who is going to attack Iran, frankly, will be totally crazy.” Israel has in the past launched attacks against suspect nuclear facilities in Iraq and Syria. If it were to do the same in Iran, however, Tehran would “absolutely go on a fast track to develop a nuclear weapon with the support of every Iranian, with support from pretty much everybody in the Middle East and a lot of people around the world,” ElBaradei said. Tensions between the West and Iran over its disputed nuclear program have been rising in recent months, fueling speculation that Israel, which views a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat, might launch a preventive military strike. “I pray that this will never happen” said ElBaradei. “I think the Israelis are intelligent enough to realize that this will diminish their security instead of adding to their security.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in March that Israel could not wait much longer to halt Iran's nuclear program, and that he would “never let my people live in the shadow of annihilation,” referring to repeated Iranian calls for the destruction of Israel. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful and rejects accusations that it is seeking a nuclear weapon. Asked what he would tell Israel when it says it does not believe Iran's claims, ElBaradei said: “Why should they (Iranians) believe Israel. “Israel is sitting on 200 (nuclear) bombs. There is a sense of insecurity in the Middle East. You need to engage in good faith and establish a Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction.” The 2005 Nobel Peace Prize laureate held little hope that future nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers – the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany – would lead to a breakthrough in the stand-off. “The issue is only going to be resolved when the Americans and the Iranians sit at the negotiating table and find a way to live together,” he said. “Everyone is waiting for the other to blink. They need to blink together. Nobody is going to blink first. I think we will go through a summer of tension because a lot of these issues are hostage to domestic politics,” he said. “I hope that after the (US presidential) election (in November) people will come back to serious negotiations. But in the meantime we have to manage this crisis in order not to lead us to commit an act of folly,” he added. ElBaradei, who led the IAEA for three terms between 1997 and 2009, pulled out of Egypt's presidential race in January to protest the ruling military's failure to steer the country towards democracy after the revolution that forced president Hosny Mubarak to step down. “I am very disappointed, I am very frustrated,” said the 69-year-old. “People were hoping that things would move in this direction (democracy). They recognize now it was a mistake to give the army the responsibility to manage the transition.” The army, which was praised for siding with the anti-Mubarak protesters during the revolution, has been criticized for approving a transitional constitution that allows it to rule until a new president is elected, as well as for its crackdown on protesters demanding that it hand over power to a civilian authority. Egypt's first presidential election since Mubarak's ouster are scheduled for May 23-24, according to the Election Commission. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has pledged to hand over power to the new president by July. Liberals have been particularly alarmed at gains made by the popular Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists in parliamentary elections. “There is now an open fight between the Muslim Brotherhood and the military,” ElBaradei said. “The situation is work in progress, but I don't see it going in the right direction.” BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/CgDIO Tags: Attack, Brotherhood, ElBaradei, Iran, Israel Section: Egypt, Features, Iran, Latest News, Levant, Palestine
