(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-05 23:36

JERUSALEM  -- Israeli President Shimon Peres on Monday said that he is not in favor of military actions against Iran, but the world should establish a strong coalition that can impose economic sanctions on it.

Peres made the remarks during a press conference of foreign journalists for Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations.

"Iran's efforts to achieve nuclear weapons should keep the entire world from sleeping soundly," he exclaimed.

"(Iranian President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad is calling for Israel to be wiped off the map, and the combination of nuclear weapons in the hands of a deranged extremist religious leader is a nightmare for the world," Peres went on to say.

The president also said Iran is a global terror center which " trains and finances generations of killers and terrorists."

In regard to Hamas, the president blamed the Islamic group for hampering the establishment of an independent state of the Palestinian people.

"If it weren't for Hamas and their criminal behavior, the Palestinian people would have had an independent state a long time ago," he said, "You have to remember that we pulled out of Gaza and Hamas still continues to fire on Israeli women and children."

Peres also talked about Syria, saying that if the Syrians were earnestly ready to enter into peace talks with Israel, Israel would be willing to comply.

"We want a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and we are willing to pay a price for a comprehensive peace, as we have done in the past," he said.