Israel would be insane to attack Iran: ElBaradei

Jerusalem, May 17 (ANI): The International Atomic Energy Agency's outgoing chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, has said that Israel would be "utterly insane" to attack Iran.

In an interview with German daily Der Spiegel, ElBaradei said: That would turn the region into one great fireball, and the Iranians would immediately begin building the bomb - with the support of the entire Islamic world."

ElBaradei called on Teheran to take advantage of the US's newfound willingness to negotiate over the nuclear issue, The Jerusalem Post reported.

"I advise the [officials] I meet from Iran: Seize the hand that Obama is offering you," he said.

ElBaradei, with whom Israel has had a rocky relationship, is stepping down after a 12-year tenure.

While Israel has taken no formal stand regarding who it would like to see win out as his successor, government sources in Jerusalem seem to prefer the Japanese candidate, Yukiya Amano.

The 35 board-member nations of the International Atomic Energy Agency failed to elect a new agency chief in their first rounds of voting. (ANI)