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Primakov hopes US will not strike at Iran

If not, its consequences will be much more destructive than the war in Iraq and the air campaign against Libya

MOSCOW, March 30 (Itar-Tass) — Former Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov hopes the United States will not cede to Israeli attempts to pull Washington into a military conflict with Iran as its consequences will be much more destructive than the war in Iraq and the air campaign against Libya.

“President Barack Obama seems to be realizing it and distances himself from the Israeli prime minister, but Israel can drag Washington into the (military) operation,” he said on Thursday presenting his new book on the Middle East.

Primakov believes the election campaign in the United States aggravates the situation and recalled that leading Republican candidate Mitt Romney called Russia “number 1 geopolitical foe.” “There is strong pressure on Obama,” Primakov said but expressed hope it will not result in strikes at Iran.

“I would like nothing of the kind to happen. If there are air strikes they will not inflict major damage to the Iranian nuclear program. They will only make Iran intensify the program,” Primakov believes.

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