Avigdor Lieberman
Avigdor LiebermanFlash 90

At a meeting of his Yisrael Beiteinu party, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Tuesday that a nuclear armed Iran would precipitate a nuclear arms race in the entire Middle East. “If Iran achieves nuclear capability, it will be the end of all agreements on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The direct result would be a wild race to arm the entire Middle East with nuclear weapons.”

According to recent reports, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia have all expressed interest in nuclear weapons programs. Experts have said that officials from all three Sunni Muslim countries have expressed interest in buying or building nuclear reactors with the aim of developing a full-fledged nuclear program, in order to counterbalance the “Shi'ite bomb” that Iran is developing.

“Iran does not need a nuclear program for peaceful purposes,” Lieberman said. “I think that the international community must pay more attention to what a nuclear Iran would really mean,” he added.

The event, a gathering of MKs and party supporters to mark the new year, was a support rally for the party. Lieberman said that Yisrael Beiteinuhad proved to be one of the government's most important partners. “We are also a responsible and stabilizing member of the government. We have become the group to turn to for ideas 'outside the box,'” Lieberman added.