ElBaradei appeals for 'timeout' between Iran, West

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 26 (Reuters) The West and Iran should avert a spiral toward conflict by declaring a ''timeout'' under which Iranian nuclear work and UN sanctions would be suspended together, the UN atomic agency chief said today.

Mohamed ElBaradei told a gathering at the World Economic Forum that military action against Iran's nuclear sites, mooted by some US officials, would be crazy and the two sides should stop flexing muscles and start direct dialogue.

''Iran should stop enriching uranium and the international community should take a timeout from implementing sanctions,'' the International Atomic Energy Agency director said.

''...We need to reverse course because we are heading into a crash course,'' he said. ''The idea that there's a military solution is absolutely bonkers.'' The United Nations slapped preliminary sanctions on Iran last month for refusing to stop enriching uranium, the pathway to fuel for atomic energy or bombs, and impeding International Atomic Energy Agency probes into the nature of its programme.

Western powers suspect Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons.

Tehran says it only wants to generate power.

ElBaradei said simultaneous gestures of good will, not preconditions for negotiations set by the Council, were required to head off a conflict that could inflame the West Asia.

''There is no reason for Iran to feed nuclear material into enrichment cascades. They can take time out to build confidence (abroad). We have three to eight years (before Iran has bomb-making ability), which gives us a lot of time to reflect.'' Western powers have warned sanctions could be significantly toughened if ElBaradei reports to the Security Council by a February 21 deadline that Iran has not shelved uranium enrichment.

Diplomats say ElBaradei is convinced military intervention would permit Iran's ruling hardliners to crush reformist opposition, eject IAEA inspectors and pull Tehran out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, undermining it worldwide.

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