WORLD AT GREATEST RISK OF NUCLEAR APOCALYPSE ‘FOR DECADES’

Terrorists and rouge states have plunged the world on the verge of a nuclear catastrophe, leading experts have warned.

Speakers at the Luxembourg Forum – taking place from October 9-10 – said the planet has not been at this great a risk since the Cold War.

They singled out the North Korea crisis and failure from Washington and Moscow to negotiate on their nuclear arsenals.

US President Donald Trump was also slammed for his fiery rhetoric.

William Perry, former US Defence Secretary, said: “I think this kind of language stimulates and creates this kind of condition which may mean that the US and North Korea may blunder into a war.

“And the results of such a war would be catastrophic.”

Trump has repeatedly dismissed any attempts at negotiation and recently tweeted “only one thing will work” in the hermit kingdom.

He also said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is “wasting his time trying to negotiate with little rocket man” – referring to tyrant Kim Jong-un.

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair added: “We can threaten military action…but unless there are elements of which I am unaware in either the weakness of the North Korean defences or the strength of US capabilities, it is had to think of a pre-emptive strike which would not result in catastrophic consequences.”

Trump is also expected to scrap a landmark nuclear deal with Iran this week.

Experts warn that it will only encourage North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme, with Pyongyang claiming any international deal will be sabotaged by the US in future.

Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor, President of the Luxembourg Gorum, said scrapping the deal would be “unforgivable”.

He said it would trigger a “global chain of nuclear strikes” across the world.

Iran has already warned that “all options are on the table” if Trump presses ahead with sanctions.

It has vowed to take “reciprocal measures” against the US should its army, the Revolutionary Guards, be branded a terrorist organisation.

Source: Daily Star