Israel, Jerusalem /corr. Trend R.Mammadov / The root of the problem of Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons is created by the efforts of the clerical regime to become the head of Islamic and regional power, and thus, to bring itself to the same level with the strongest countries of the world, according to an analyst. "This effort to be equal among the world powers, reaching for regional status and a nuclear program, is very dangerous," said Are Goot, an expert on international relations and candidate for Ph.D degree of Bar-Ilan University ( Israel).
" Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons, or even its capability to create such weapons, is accepted by Israel as a fundamental threat to its existence. If war begins with Iran tomorrow, Israel has no chance to stay out of it," the expert told Trend on 14 November.
According to Goot, Israel cannot allow itself to live under the threat of Iran's nuclear weapons. This is a factor that is unacceptable for life in Israel. The Israeli expert supports his statement on the basis of three reasons: in the past, none of Israel's enemies possessed the capability to fully destroy Israel; none of the countries possessing nuclear weapons expressed an intention to wipe Israel from the world map; and finally, Iran is the only large country where the key decisions are made by religious leaders, who have in turn, declared their intentions. All of these factors make Iran with its nuclear weapons, a fatal risk for Israel.
" Israel when facing Iran's nuclear weapons will have two terrible choices. The first one is to do nothing (in a military regard), which is dangerous; and the second one is to take its own actions, which are also dangerous. It is a very serious dilemma. If the President of Iran, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, becomes the future supreme leader of Iran and the country establishes nuclear weapons, it will be a problematical combination," the Israeli politician said.
According to Goot, Israel should not be solely blamed for the expected breakdown of efforts to quiet Iran. On the other hand, Washington does not seriously consider the idea of conducting military operations against Iran. "No one seriously approaches this idea because the whip is not very severe," Goot said.
Addressing the recent events in Iran's nuclear program, the expert said that each country in the same geo-political situation as Iran, which has no allies, no security guarantee but is trying to increase its political status, would strive to create weapons or gain an opportunity to create them. According to Goot, Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons would seriously jeopardize regional and global security, and bring an almost fatal blow to the treaty for the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons among neighboring Arab countries ( Saudi Arabia, Egypt). "A race for nuclear weapons may be launched in the most explosive region of the world. It is necessary to forget the formula of strategic stability, and time to think of how to manage strategic instability. An ideologized regime's acquisition of nuclear weapons would create increased danger in many countries from Europe to Russia and China," he said.
According to an Israeli politician, the nuclear weapons which Iran's cleric regime wishes to acquire would require large measures of responsibility, and large stability in the political regime. "It is possible to disagree whether all of the current nuclear countries and their leaders have such measures of responsibility, but it is clear that the Iranian President does not demonstrate such qualities. However, the goal of the policy is not to be right or wrong, but to be smart or stupid. Sometimes it isn't necessary to do those things which are right, but those which give positive results," Goot concluded.