Allawi says Iraq will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran

NCRI, 30 August 2010 – The leader of al-Iraqiya, the coalition which won the parliamentary elections in March and is legally tasked with forming the next government, warned on Saturday about the Iranian regime’s attempts to acquire nuclear weapons and the possibility of a war in the region.
In an interview with the German weekly Der Spiegel, Dr. Ayad Allawi said, “There is a high probability that a war will break out over the Iranian regime’s nuclear program,” adding, “There is a fear over this possibility all around the region, even in the US and Iran itself.”
According to the German radio Deutsche Welle, Dr. Allawi told the weekly that the international community must convince the Iranian regime that it will not benefit from continuing its nuclear program.
He added that it Iraq would not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran.
Germany’s official news agency DPA also covered the interview, saying, “Allawi, who is trying to become Iraq’s prime minister for a second term, said the Arab world is worried about a crisis which may occur in relation to the Iranian regime.”
In response to a question about why Arab countries are avoiding to arm themselves in view of Iran’s nuclear crisis, Dr. Allawi said, “There are worries all over the region. We are moving towards a situation that approximately resembles the Cuban missile crisis. This fear and anxiety is hanging over us like a dark cloud.”