The former United Nations' chief weapons inspector has challenged the US president's claims that Iran poses a nuclear threat to the world. Hans Blix, who is the head of the Stockholm-based Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, said that the US is over-reacting to Iran's nuclear programs. Bush has recently renewed calls for a missile defense shield in Europe, claiming that Iran could have a ballistic missile capable of reaching Europe and the US by 2015. "President Bush talks about 2015. There's time to negotiate with Iran and to carry out those negotiations in a sensible manner. I think they use too many sticks and they should use more carrots, just as they've done in the case of North Korea where they are making some headway," Blix said according to the CTV website.
"If the US does move forward with a missile defense plan, it should only be done in cooperation with other nuclear powers, including Russia and China," Blix said. "Any unilateral movement could trigger an arms race over fears that any country that perfected a missile defense shield would have an incredible advantage over the others," he concluded.