Israel, Not Iran, Real Threat to Peace-NEWS & VIEWS
February 7, 1998 - 0:0
TEHRAN Despite having stockpiled at least 200 nuclear warheads, evading to sign the NPT or allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to visit its nuclear installations, and being a threshold nuclear power, Israeli called Friday for urgent world action to halt the alleged Iranian efforts to develop arms of mass destruction. Iran's nuclear activities are strictly under the supervision of the IAEA inspectors and is a signatory to the NPT. The IAEA inspectors have several times acknowledged that Iran's nuclear activities are merely meant for peaceful purposes.
Speaking to foreign ambassadors posted to Israel on Friday, Netanyahu said, Iran posed as great a threat to peace as Iraq. Ironically while the UN-U.S. attempts are in full swing to dismantle Iraqi military capabilities, Israel has kept a number of UN resolutions in cold storage. Moreover, by backtracking from the Oslo agreements, Israel is the major threat to peace in the region.
Reacting the Netanyahu's statement, one analyst told the Tehran Times that Israel has faced a real deadlock in the so-called Middle East peace process mainly due to the irrational policies of the Likud Party. The Likud Party came to power on such slogans as security for Israel, etc., he said, adding Netanyahu's government is at the horn of a dilemma today.
If it agrees to implement the Oslo agreements, it will lose its supporters. If it continues its intransigent policies, it will alienate more regional countries. Therefore, in order to externalize domestic crisis, Netanyahu is trying to put the blame on others for regional instability. The onus is indeed on the UN to stop its double standard and put pressure on Israel to open its doors to international inspection to prevent the emergence of a dangerous nuclear power in the region, an analyst said, adding, unfortunately, the Israeli stubbornness has its roots partly in UN inaction towards the Zionist entity.
Israel has practically jeopardized regional peace because of its expansionist policies, an Iranian diplomat in a Middle Eastern country who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Tehran Times, adding, the future of the Middle East is not as gloomy as it is today, for a number of countries have realized that the United States has become a pawn in the hands of a small but influential Zionist lobby.
As we have witnessed the strong reaction of Boris Yeltsin, French and Chinese officials to any U.S. unilateral actions against Iraq, we will see more opposition to the U.S.-Israeli coalition in the future, he said. At the same time the world has realized the hollowness of U.S.-Israeli baseless accusations against Iran, he said and concluded that we do not heed such nonessential statements, for the world has changed and other countries too do not pay any attention to such unfounded accusations.
Speaking to foreign ambassadors posted to Israel on Friday, Netanyahu said, Iran posed as great a threat to peace as Iraq. Ironically while the UN-U.S. attempts are in full swing to dismantle Iraqi military capabilities, Israel has kept a number of UN resolutions in cold storage. Moreover, by backtracking from the Oslo agreements, Israel is the major threat to peace in the region.
Reacting the Netanyahu's statement, one analyst told the Tehran Times that Israel has faced a real deadlock in the so-called Middle East peace process mainly due to the irrational policies of the Likud Party. The Likud Party came to power on such slogans as security for Israel, etc., he said, adding Netanyahu's government is at the horn of a dilemma today.
If it agrees to implement the Oslo agreements, it will lose its supporters. If it continues its intransigent policies, it will alienate more regional countries. Therefore, in order to externalize domestic crisis, Netanyahu is trying to put the blame on others for regional instability. The onus is indeed on the UN to stop its double standard and put pressure on Israel to open its doors to international inspection to prevent the emergence of a dangerous nuclear power in the region, an analyst said, adding, unfortunately, the Israeli stubbornness has its roots partly in UN inaction towards the Zionist entity.
Israel has practically jeopardized regional peace because of its expansionist policies, an Iranian diplomat in a Middle Eastern country who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Tehran Times, adding, the future of the Middle East is not as gloomy as it is today, for a number of countries have realized that the United States has become a pawn in the hands of a small but influential Zionist lobby.
As we have witnessed the strong reaction of Boris Yeltsin, French and Chinese officials to any U.S. unilateral actions against Iraq, we will see more opposition to the U.S.-Israeli coalition in the future, he said. At the same time the world has realized the hollowness of U.S.-Israeli baseless accusations against Iran, he said and concluded that we do not heed such nonessential statements, for the world has changed and other countries too do not pay any attention to such unfounded accusations.