French President Nicolas Sarkozy warns Iran of pre-emptive attack, claims Syrian President Bashar Assad has caused ’irreparable’ damage

French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned on Wednesday that Iran's attempts to build long-range missiles and nuclear weapons could lead unnamed countries to launch what he called a pre-emptive attack.

"Its military nuclear and ballistic ambitions constitute a growing threat that may lead to a preventive attack against Iranian sites that would provoke a major crisis that France wants to avoid at all costs," he said.

IRAN CARRYING OUT PROVOCATIONS
The French leader placed the blame for the crisis on Iran, which insists it has no intention of building a nuclear weapon, and is merely enriching nuclear fuel for medical research and a domestic atomic energy program. "Iran refuses to negotiate seriously," he told an annual meeting of French diplomats. "Iran is carrying out new provocations in response to the challenge from the international community for it to provide a credible response," he claimed.

Sarkozy said France would work with its allies to build support for tougher international sanctions against Tehran's regime, in a bid to force it to back down over its enrichment program.

ASSAD CAUSED IRREPARABLE DAMAGE
Tackling the Syrian crisis, the French President said that the actions of President Bashar Al-Assad had caused "irreparable" damage to his legitimacy and vowed to support his overthrow. He went on to claim that France will do whatever is "legally" within its power in order to ensure a victory of the so-called Syria's armed opposition.

"The regime in Damascus wrongly believes it is safe from its own people," Sarkozy claimed. "What the Syrian president has done is irreparable. France, with its partners, will do all that is legally possible in order that the Syrian people's hopes for freedom and democracy are triumphant," he went on to say.

EU TO SPEAK WITH SINGLE VOICE
On the Palestinian bid for UN recognition, Sarkozy said that the European Union should decide whether and when to recognize the Palestinian Authority's bid for United Nations recognition as a state. "I hope that the 27 countries of the European Union speak with a single voice. We should live up to our responsibilities together," Sarkozy said.

The Palestinians leadership plans to formally submit a request for United Nations membership on September 20 when world leaders begin gathering in New York for the 66th session of the UN General Assembly.