Danger in Iran's nuclear program exaggerated, says IAEA chief

Jerusalem, Oct. 18 (ANI): International Atomic Energy Agency's outgoing chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, has claimed that the danger in Iran's nuclear program is exaggerated.

"The threat in Iran's nuclear program is exaggerated. I do not think that we will wake up tomorrow and discover that Iran has a nuclear weapon," The Jerusalem Post quoted ElBaradei, as saying.

According to him, talks can eventually lead the Middle East to be a nuclear-free zone, thus ending the imbalance in Israel's not signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

"The solution: We need to ensure a lasting peace in the region, and the entire Middle East must become a nuclear-free zone. That, however, takes time. But we must also remember the imbalance in the fact that a country, namely Israel, remains out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while other countries are bound by the contract," he added.

The greatest danger in the region, he says, comes from the possibility of an Israeli airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

"Bombing Iran is not the solution. An Israeli attack would turn the entire region into a fireball," he said.

"We should ask ourselves, why countries develop nuclear weapons. They promise power and prestige. Israel says it cannot tolerate an Iran in possession of nuclear weapons. But when you talk now with Arab leaders, they say they cannot tolerate a nuclear Israel," he said. (ANI)