Israel’s Peres warns against military strike on Iran
Washington, 7 September (IranVNC)—Israel’s President Shimon Peres believes a military attack on Iran could spark a broader military conflict, the London-based The Sunday Times reports.
By: IranVNC
Published: Sunday, September 07, 2008
14:0GMT—10:30AM/EST
ISRAEL – IRAN – NUCLEAR – STRIKE
Washington, 7 September (IranVNC)—Israel’s President Shimon Peres believes a military attack on Iran could spark a broader military conflict, the London-based Sunday Times newspaper reports.
In an interview published today, Peres said: “The military way will not solve the problem,” and added: “Such an attack can trigger a bigger war.”
Israel and the U.S. suspect Iran is seeking to build a nuclear weapon, and neither country has ruled out a possible military strike on that country.
But Peres said he does not believe in “any kind of military option” to confront Iran.
“There are two ways – a military and a civilian way. I don’t believe in the military option – any kind of military option,” he said, adding: “What I’m saying to you I say to [Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert, but I can’t tell you what Olmert says to me.”
According to the newspaper, Peres is one of the first senior Israeli politicians to caution Olmert against a military strike on the Islamic Republic.
Israeli media reported last week that government officials had decided to take any necessary actions – including military ones – to keep Iran from building an atomic bomb.
In Damascus on Thursday, France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Iran that it could risk an Israeli military attack if it persisted with its nuclear program.
But Iran’s government spokesperson yesterday downplayed the threat of an Israeli attack, saying: “This regime [Israel] is not in such a position and does not have the capacity to even think about attacking Iran.”
Tehran says its nuclear activities have peaceful aims, such as generating electricity, and has come under three rounds of United Nations Security Council sanctions for refusing to suspend its sensitive uranium enrichment work.
Western powers warned last month that they might press for more UN sanctions after Iran failed to respond favorably to a package of incentives offered in return for suspension of its uranium enrichment work.
Sources: The Sunday Times, ISNA in Persian, Jerusalem Post
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