Former IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei issued a scathing assessment of US policy toward Iran on June 24, calling American leaders 'madmen' seeking a way out of an escalating standoff. In an interview, he portrayed Washington's approach as reckless and dangerously adrift.
ElBaradei, who led the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1997 to 2009, argued that the Trump administration's 'maximum pressure' strategy has failed and instead pushed the Middle East to the brink of war. He said the current crisis required immediate de-escalation through diplomacy.
'The US administration has acted like a madman trying to find an exit from a war it has started,' ElBaradei told reporters. 'This is not only dangerous but also profoundly unwise.'
The remarks come amid fresh tensions after the US shot down an Iranian drone and Iran seized a British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has sent additional troops and warships to the region, raising fears of an accidental clash.
ElBaradei urged both sides to return to negotiations, warning that 'the world cannot afford uncontrolled actions that push us toward disaster.' He stressed that a military confrontation with Iran would have devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond, including possible spillover into global energy markets.
