Israeli Firm Leader: World Likely to Accept Iran as Nuclear Power

TEHRAN (FNA)- A top economist at a leading Israeli firm cautioned that a military action against Iran will be too costly since it will increase oil prices and damage global trade, and said the world is more likely to accept a nuclear Iran than pay the high costs of war.

A sharp rise in the price of oil, the costs of war and the damage to global trade would be too great and deter world powers from taking any serious action, said Amir Kahanovich, chief economist at Clal Finance, one of Israel's largest brokerage houses.The assessment differed sharply from Israel's official position that Tehran's nuclear aspirations are unacceptable and that all options are on the table in preventing a nuclear Iran, which it views as a threat to its existence. 

In a report "The Iranian Issue through Economic Eyes," Kahanovich laid out courses of action - ranging from additional "light sanctions" to military strikes - and told investors the world would likely balk at taking the steps needed to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. 

Even for Israel the economic cost of a military confrontation that could include retaliatory missile attacks by Tehran and proxies in Gaza and Lebanon would be too high, Kahanovich wrote, Reuters reported. 

"Unfortunately, it appears that a nuclear Iran is the most reasonable scenario," he added. 

His remarks came after Israeli President Shimon Peres said earlier this month that an attack on Iran was becoming increasingly more likely. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Israel's parliament (Knesset) on October 31 in an effort to garner support for a military attack on Iran over its nuclear program. 

In reply senior Iranian officials described the threats as "foolish" remarks, and warned that friends and allies of the Islamic Revolution would destroy Israel before it can make the slightest military move against Iran. 

"This is just a baseless allegation because the Zionist regime is engaged in a war over its survival in Tel Aviv today," Vice Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Hossein Ebrahimi told FNA. 

Also, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) top officials warned the Zionist regime of Iran's crushing response to any act of aggression, saying that an attack on Iran would put an end to Israel's existence. 

"If the Zionist regime (of Israel) commits such a mistake, it would mean that it has entered the final days of its existence since the Islamic Republic of Iran is a powerful and strong country which can defend its territorial integrity and interests across the globe, specially in the Middle-East," IRGC Politburo Chief Javani told FNA on Tuesday. 

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has some means and possibilities in areas very close to the Zionist regime and can easily give a response to Israel to make its leaders repent their action," the official stated. 

Meantime, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said Thursday Iran will respond to any military strike by Israel or the United States with "iron fists." 

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