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Peres: No Need to ‘Wave Swords’ When it Comes to Iran

April 26, 2012

President Shimon Peres said on Thursday that there is currently no need to threaten Iran with an attack on its nuclear facilities.

Peres, who was interviewed by both Channel 2 and Channel 10 in honor of Israel’s Independence Day, emphasized the fact that there are other ways to deal with the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

“There is no need to attack Iran at any cost,” Peres told Channel 2. “There are other options to address this issue and other ways to solve it, other than a military operation.”

Peres added, “I fully trust the American president” when it comes to Iran.

In the Channel 10 interview, the president warned against “waving swords” and added that he did not approve of the comparison between the Iranian threat and the Holocaust. He was thus hinting at Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s recent speech at the AIPAC convention.

“I’m not impressed by the comparison between the Iranian threat and the Holocaust,” Peres said. “I’ve seen serious existential threats and have heard desperate voices. We are today in our strongest situation ever.”

Peres added, “Which is better off, the world or Iran? Who is under real pressure, the world or Iran? I tell you that there is no chance that Iran will defeat the world and that most chances are that the world will defeat Iran. And we have to go with the world.”

The president also told Channel 10 that the Iranian nuclear issue is an international one and not an Israeli one.

“Saudi Arabia is anxious over Iran, Jordan is anxious, France is also anxious, everyone is anxious,” he said. “So what are we, the Lone Ranger on the horizon? No way! We all agree that you should start with sanctions and diplomatic pressure.”

Peres said that while he can understand the Iranian desire for nuclear weapons he cannot justify it.

“Israel was and remains under threat,” he said. “Who threatens Iran? Israel does not have a drop of oil and energy. Iran does not need [nuclear weapons]. It is an imperialistic craze.”

In the Channel 2 interview, Peres said, “We went through much more difficult situations, as awful as it sounds. The worst was in 1948, when we were completely lost. I remember those days, then we doubted, but today we do not doubt.”

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