ElBaradei: Israel strike on Iran would be 'insane'

Israel would be crazy to launch a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, Mohamed ElBaradei, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a magazine interview published Saturday.

"It would be completely insane to attack Iran," ElBaradei told Germany's Der Spiegel magazine. "That would turn the region into one big fireball, and the Iranians would immediately start building the bomb - and they could count on the support of the entire Islamic world."

President Shimon Peres said earlier this month other options remained open if U.S. diplomatic engagement with Iran failed to halt its nuclear program, which Israel and Western nations say is aimed at manufacturing atomic weapons. Peres did not say what the other options might be but they are generally understood to include military action.

Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, insists that the program is for civilian purposes only.

The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog added that Iran should engage with the United States and negotiate over the program.

U.S. President Barack Obama is actively seeking to engage Iran on a series of issues, from its nuclear program to Afghanistan.

"I advise my Iranian negotiating partners: Grasp the hand that Obama is extending to you," the UN official said.

Asked what he meant exactly, ElBaradei added: "I think Freeze for Freeze is the next realistic step. The Iranians would install no more centrifuges, the West would forego further sanction measures. During this time, there would be intensive negotiations."

He was referring to the thousands of centrifuges Iran has installed, and is adding to, in order to enrich uranium.

Enriched uranium can be used in nuclear reactors or, if purified to a much higher degree, in an atomic bomb, although Iran denies it has any such intention.

The UN Security Council has imposed three rounds of sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt enrichment. Obama's administration has made clear that any overtures to Iran will be accompanied by ramped up sanctions if there is no cooperation.

Separately, Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon said in a speech that Israel would not, in his opinion, take action against Iran without coordinating with the United States.

"But we expect coordination on the part of the Americans with us," Ayalon added. "Iran, which has yet to cross the point of no return, can be stopped through diplomatic effort."

"Iran is a very weak country," he said. "They would not withstand real sanctions. Their banks and shipping companies are vulnerable. If the world would just handle them in a tough manner, imposing sanctions, then maybe we would not need military action."