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IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei (Reuters) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 16:02 22/10/2007 IAEA head warns against rushing to use force to curb Iran nukes By News Agencies Iran would need three to eight years to make a nuclear bomb, the head of the United Nation's nuclear watchdog said in an interview published on Monday, and he warned against a rush to use force to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told France's Le Monde newspaper there was plenty of time for diplomacy, sanctions, dialogue and incentives to bear fruit. U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said on Sunday the world would not stand by and let Iran develop a nuclear weapon, and Washington has not ruled out an attack. Iran says its nuclear plans are peaceful and denies it wants to make an atomic bomb. Advertisement "I cannot judge their intentions, but supposing that Iran does intend to acquire a nuclear bomb, it would need between another three and eight years to succeed," ElBaradei told Le Monde. "All the intelligence services agree on that." "I want to get people away from the idea that Iran will be a threat from tomorrow, and that we are faced right now with the issue of whether Iran should be bombed or allowed to have the bomb," the Nobel peace prize winner said. "We are not at all in that situation. Iraq is a glaring example of how, in many cases, the use of force exacerbates the problem rather than solving it." There was no immediate comment from Iran on his comments. The West wants to impose further sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can make fuel for power plants or, if Iran wanted, material for warheads. Major powers have agreed to delay a move against Iran until November to see if Tehran answers IAEA queries about its intentions. ElBaradei said it would not be a problem if those talks extended into December. The powers are also awaiting the result of talks with EU negotiator Javier Solana, who is due to meet an Iranian delegation in Rome on Tuesday that will include Ali Larijani, the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator sacked on Saturday, and his hardline replacement Saeed Jalili. Separately, ElBaradei said he hoped to soon have information on an Israeli raid last month on a suspected nuclear facility in Syria, which has been shrouded in mystery. Israel has confirmed it carried out an air strike on Syria on Sept. 6 but has not described the target. Syria has said only that it was a building under construction. ElBaradei said he had no information that North Korea had been supplying nuclear know-how to Syria and noted the U.N. charter only permitted the use of force in the face of an imminent threat or with the prior approval of the world body. Iran FM: Unilateral sanctions are illegal Iran will not abandon its right to nuclear technology regardless of threats of more sanctions, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in a letter to his French counterpart issued on Monday by an Iranian news agency. "Iran will not let its right to nuclear technology be suppressed ... Using tools like the Security Council, economic sanctions and other threats cannot deprive our nation and our government for a moment from its decision," he wrote to Bernard Kouchner in the letter published by ISNA news agency. He wrote that "unilateral sanctions", which Paris wants the European Union to implement against Iran, were illegal and violated the U.N. charter. Related articles: Cheney: U.S. and its allies won't let Iran have a nuclear weapon High-level North Korean official meets Syrian PM in Damascus Bookmark to del.icio.us Mystery fall Avraham and Carmela Cohen are suspected of being involved in a soldier's murder. Lonely no more Many people hold Lonely Planet responsible for the entire globe becoming a tourist site.   1.   No worries 14:46  |  Leo Scheiner 22/10/07   2.   LEO ARE YOU DUMB? ONLY IRAN IS PART OF NPT 15:10  |  Jack 22/10/07   3.   It is too late! 16:02  |  Jonathan S 22/10/07   4.   ... and 16:14  |  Space 22/10/07   5.   EL-BARADEI IS AN ARAB MUSLIM 16:44  |  Iskander 22/10/07   6.   To Iskander 16:58  |  Checker 22/10/07   7.   Israel has been trying to draw the Christian world in 17:46  |  American 22/10/07   8.   El Baredei`s crap 17:49  |  Brod 22/10/07   9.   So Old School. 17:59  |  joebhed 22/10/07   10.   El Baradai means ALI FU,,K-BAR 18:49  |  lofasz 22/10/07   11.   ELBARADEI`S ACHIEVMENTS 19:16  |  Sandokan 22/10/07   12.   "Three to eight years" 19:18  |  Yonatan 22/10/07   13.   #2 Jack 19:23  |  Yonatan 22/10/07   14.   #4 Space 19:25  |  Yonatan 22/10/07   15.   Don`t Worry be Happy 19:29  |  David Samson 22/10/07   16.   Who Was Right About WMD In IraQ? 19:48  |  chet 22/10/07   17.   `American` 19:58  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/10/07   18.   and Sarkozy is a french JEw 20:31  |  jack 22/10/07   19.   Worry! Do Not Be Happy! 01:51  |  joebhed 23/10/07   20.   And Defying The Resolutions - Shame! 01:54  |  joebhed 23/10/07   21.   In who do we `TRUST`? Dollar-Riyal?(SAR) 11:04  |  Not convinced 24/10/07

Today Online Amira Hass: Israel expects the PA to assist the occupation Responses: 6 Israel threatens to cut off Gaza power in response to Qassams Responses: 17 Editorial: Israel must teach students that its democracy is flawed Responses: 2 Benzair Bhutto: Extremist politics will not prevail in Pakistan Responses: 2 Lack of funds could halt completion of separation barrier Responses: 6 Barak blames rightist officials for incitement before Rabin murder Responses: 6 Rosner's Domain * WTR: Relax, America will survive Bush * New poll: Were you convinced that the surge in Iraq is working? * Israel's fear: Will Rice put a bridging proposal on the table? * Jumblatt to Bush: Send car bombs to Damascus More Headlines 08:55 Defense chiefs: Impose more sanctions on Gaza 07:46 Defense officials: Lack of funds could halt completion of separation fence 08:07 Barak: Some politicians tainted by pre-Rabin killing incitement 10:47 J'lem church suspects extremist Jews behind overnight arson 08:57 PM tells London Jews: Russia won't supply nuclear fuel to Iran 02:02 Iran to buy from China 24 fighter jets based on Israeli technology 04:29 U.S. House panel endorses Holocaust insurance measure 06:50 Amnesty blasts Fatah, Hamas over civilian deaths in Gaza clashes 07:01 University lecturers reject mediation bid as strike enters fourth day Previous Editions Select Day 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 19 oct 18 oct 17 oct 16 oct 15 oct 14 oct 12 oct 11 oct 10 oct

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