'Stop Iran or world's future in danger'

Peres says Ahmadinejad wants return of darkness, hatred, thinks he's supreme judge of the world.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
peres at UN 224.88 (photo credit: GPO)
peres at UN 224.88
(photo credit: GPO)
"The world must not sit with its arms folded while Iran is developing a nuclear bomb," President Shimon Peres said Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. "If the world doesn't wake up and stop Iran's nuclear weapons project on time, the future of the world is in danger," he said. Referring to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's planned speech to the UN, Peres told reporters that while he was encouraged by speeches made thus far by other leaders, he was "distressed" about what he was going to hear. "The earlier messages were of hope, but I have read the speech that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is going to deliver. He calls the world to return to the age of darkness, hatred, threats, impatience, arrogance - doesn't respect human life," he said. "Ahmadinejad thinks he's the supreme judge of the world, but he has no right to decide who is good and who is bad. The reality is that people of all religions, color and race were created equal." "We have never called for the elimination of any country," Peres continued. "We don't view the Iranian people as an enemy. We have a long relationship with it. King Cyrus was among the first Zionists." Referring to the perceived failure of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, the president said he intended to suggest to world leaders another alternative. "Another option is oil and its price," he said. "The inflated price of oil funds global terror. Whoever wants to dry the terror swamp and kill its mosquitoes needs to put an end to the wild prices. Just like the suppliers organize themselves, so must the buyers." Regarding the recent political developments at home, Peres said that he predicted new Kadima leader Tzipi Livni would succeed in forming a coalition. He went on to say that although progress had been made in peace talks, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators were unlikely to reach a peace deal before next year. "We have hoped it will be by the end of year," Peres said. "Apparently we shall not conclude it by the end of the year but we do believe we made a little progress, and there is a very fair chance to conclude it during the next year." Peres also said that early steps for a Palestinian security presence in the West Bank "have been successful." "We have dismantled some of the checkpoints already, and I think today the situation there is far better," he said.