The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General
Mohamed el Baradei on Monday expressed his opposition to an
impulsive war against Iran.
"We need always to remember that the use of force could only be
resorted to when ... every other option has been exhausted. I don't
think we are at all there," el Baradei told reporters on the
sidelines of the ongoing 51st annual regular session of the IAEA
General Conference.
His remarks came after French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner
on Sunday warned that a war against Iran should be launched should
it obtain nuclear weapons.
The UN nuclear watchdog chief, without mentioning Kouchner's
comments, said "a lot of hype" had been raised about the Iran case
and "we need to be cool and not hype the Iranian issue."
"There are rules on how to use force, and I would hope that
everybody would have gotten the lesson after the Iraq situation,
where 700,000 innocent civilians have lost their lives on the
suspicion that a country has nuclear weapons," he said.
He said the IAEA has found no evidence of "weaponization" from
Iranian nuclear enrichment work, although during his speech at the
conference he regretted Iran's refusal to fall in line with UN
resolutions.
"By November or December, we will be able to know if Iran is
acting in good faith or not," he said, suggesting it is time to
consider tougher diplomatic actions, if needed, instead of military
action.
The chief nuclear inspector also expressed his reservation
towards tougher UN sanctions.
"I ask everyone to hold their horses until the process is
complete," he said. "If the UN Security Council decides to adopt
more sanctions, if they believe it is a way to help resolve the
issue, that is their prerogative."
"But I believe sanctions alone will not lead to a durable
solution," he said.
During his speech to the conference, el Baradei suggested that
if the agency could provide a reliable assurance of the peaceful
aim of Iran's nuclear program, it would be in favor of a complete
and lasting solution to Iran's nuclear issue.
Iranian Vice President Reza Aqazadeh told the media during the
conference that the West always chooses the "path of confrontation"
instead of the path of "understanding and amity" towards Iran.
Iran is "determined to continue its (nuclear) path to the
highest point of advancement," he said, adding that the country has
"no fear of the costs we may have to bear to achieve this."
(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2007)
