France’s UN envoy warned late on Tuesday that Iran faced the risk of a military strike if it pursues its nuclear drive because certain countries would not accept Iran having an atomic weapon.
In surprisingly frank comments at a New York panel discussion, French Ambassador to the UN Gerard Araud followed up on French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s statement that there could be a “preventive strike” against the Islamic republic.
Asked what would happen if Iran reaches the threshold of a nuclear weapon, Araud said: “Personally I am convinced that some countries won’t accept this prospect.”
The danger of conflict was why France, Britain, Germany, the US, Russia and China were trying to negotiate with Iran, he said.
“If we don’t succeed today to reach a negotiation with the Iranians, there is a strong risk of military action,” Araud said, declining to identify who would be likely to carry out such action.
“It would be a very complicated operation. It would have disastrous consequences in the region,” he said.
“All the Arab countries are extremely worried about what is happening” with Iran’s nuclear drive, he added.
Western leaders have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear bomb, and the UN Security Council has passed four rounds of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, which Araud said are now biting.
Iran insists its nuclear enrichment program is entirely peaceful and has refused to halt enrichment or allow inspections demanded by the international community. It has also objected to Sarkozy’s “preventive strike” comments, and said it would hit back at any attack.
Araud said that European negotiators had concluded that Iran does not want to negotiate with the international community and was “moving forward” with its program.
“We have tried everything. Not a stone has been left unturned,” he added.
The French envoy and others on the Security Council have said they cannot see any move to order new sanctions in the next six months at least.
EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton is negotiating with Iran on possible new talks. She met Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on the sidelines of the UN assembly.
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