Israel worried over Iran’s nuclear ambitions
Israel, with eyes fixed firmly on Iran’s atomic weapon ambitions, has beseeched the international community to end the ‘nightmare scenario’ for the Jewish country.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom made comments on Iran’s procrastination on allowing UN inspectors into the country to assess its nuclear facilities in a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has called on Iran to allow unfettered inspection of its nuclear facilities.
Mohammed El Baradei, chief of IAEA has said traces of weapons-grade uranium have been found at a nuclear facility at Natanz in central Iran.
Iran, alongside pre-war Iraq and North Korea, sits on George W Bush’s “axis of evil,” a linguistic concoction which signalled the US President’s intention to end global terrorism.
Mr Shalom said: ‘Iran’s nuclear program is a grave threat, not only to Israel but to Europe and the whole free world.
“Iran is fast approaching the point of no return in its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons capabilities.’
Mr Shalom said Iran could have nuclear capability within one year.
Iran has consistently claimed its nuclear programme is for the sole purpose of producing domestic electricity.
Iran President Mohammad Khatami has insisted his country did not wish to acquire a nuclear deterrent.
“I emphasise that Iran is totally against any form of weapons of mass destruction and denounce as false and groundless the claims that Iran is producing nuclear weapons,” he said.
Mr Solana at a news conference with Mr Kharrazi on Saturday said Iran must sign the additional protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which would grant no-notice inspections.
“The issue is not for bargaining; it is a matter of a friend advising another friend, and Iranian authorities are politically mature to hear a friend’s advice.”
