The escalating tensions between Iran and the United States could lead to a new worldwide nuclear catastrophe, former Cuban leader Fidel Castro warned on Monday.

If the United States and its allies try to inspect Iranian ships, "they will receive the proper answer," local media quoted an article written by Castro as saying.

"I have no doubt that as soon as U.S. and Israeli warships try to inspect the first Iranian cargo ship ... it will be the exact moment when the terrible war will begin," Castro said in the article, dubbed "Knowing the truth in time."

"A disaster" is coming "quickly" and a war would start even before the quarter-final of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, he added.

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