Ex-Russian PM warns against attack on Iran

Former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov said Monday that the consequences of a military solution to Iran's nuclear program are "horrible and unpredictable."

Speaking at an international Middle East conference in Jordan, Primakov said an attack against Iran's nuclear installations would only 'radicalize' Tehran and at best, it would only 'postpone the development of nuclear weapons by Iran for no longer than two years', RIA Novosti quoted him as a saying.

"In that situation, Iran could consider it absolutely vital to have nuclear weapons," he added.

Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the UN nuclear watchdog, says its activities are aimed at the civilian applications of the technology. The West, however, accuses it of pursuing nuclear weapons.

Primakov, who has served as Russia's foreign minister, prime minister and chief of intelligence services, expressed doubt that a political decision had been made in Iran to pursue nuclear weapons. "Russia has no information [to confirm this]."

He added that Iran has become a regional power in the Middle East.

"We owe this to the Americans," Primakov told the international forum.

"When they launched their operation in Iraq, they destroyed the balance of forces that had existed for years. Iran has attained the level of a Middle East power that must be reckoned with."

The forum was attended by Iran's Mohammad Sadeq Sadeqian, a Middle East expert, and Professor Sadeq Zibakalam.