U.S. SAYS IRAN REMAINS A STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR
Mainly for supporting groups against Israeli occupation
Iran... remains the "most active state sponsor of terrorism" in the world, the US government charged Thursday. Iran was lumped with Syria, Sudan and Cuba as terrorism sponsors in the State Department report for 2008, the same countries that appeared in previous annual reports... It singled out the Qods Force, an elite branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as the Islamic republic's main means to cultivate and support terrorists overseas. The Qods Force gave "weapons, training and funding" to Hamas and other Palestinian anti-Israeli groups, Lebanon's Shiite Muslim fundamentalist Hezbollah as well as Iraq-based militants and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, the report said..."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090430/wl_mideast_afp/usattacksintelligenceiran
Friday, April 24, 2009
ISRAEL ALMOST DESTROYED 140 IRANIAN PLANES
"Iran canceled air show when Russia warned Israel planned to destroy all 140 warplanes... Israel was planning to destroy all 140 fighter-bombers concentrated at the Mehr-Abad Air Force base for an air show over Tehran on Iran's Army Day... Moscow had informed the Iranians that its spy satellites and intelligence sources had picked up preparations at Israeli Air Force bases to destroy the 140 warplanes, the bulk of the Iranian air force, on the ground the night before the display, leaving its nuclear sites without aerial defense. A similar operation wiped out the entire Egyptian air fleet in the early hours of the 1967 war."
--DEBKAfile, April 24, 2009
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=6040
"Iran canceled air show when Russia warned Israel planned to destroy all 140 warplanes... Israel was planning to destroy all 140 fighter-bombers concentrated at the Mehr-Abad Air Force base for an air show over Tehran on Iran's Army Day... Moscow had informed the Iranians that its spy satellites and intelligence sources had picked up preparations at Israeli Air Force bases to destroy the 140 warplanes, the bulk of the Iranian air force, on the ground the night before the display, leaving its nuclear sites without aerial defense. A similar operation wiped out the entire Egyptian air fleet in the early hours of the 1967 war."
--DEBKAfile, April 24, 2009
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=6040
Saturday, April 18, 2009
ISRAEL PREPARING TO BOMB IRAN SITES
"The Israeli military is preparing itself to launch a massive aerial assault on Iran's nuclear facilities within days of being given the go-ahead by its new government... it was unlikely that Israel would carry out the attack without receiving at least tacit approval from America... An Israeli attack on Iran would entail flying over Jordanian and Iraqi airspace, where US forces have a strong presence... it was unlikely that the Americans would approve an attack... the leaks or statements made by Israeli leaders and military commanders are meant for deterrence..."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6115903.ece
"The Israeli military is preparing itself to launch a massive aerial assault on Iran's nuclear facilities within days of being given the go-ahead by its new government... it was unlikely that Israel would carry out the attack without receiving at least tacit approval from America... An Israeli attack on Iran would entail flying over Jordanian and Iraqi airspace, where US forces have a strong presence... it was unlikely that the Americans would approve an attack... the leaks or statements made by Israeli leaders and military commanders are meant for deterrence..."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6115903.ece
IRAN AND THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY (NPT)
"... Iran is a signatory state of the NPT and has recently (as of 2006) resumed development of a uranium enrichment program. The Iranian government states its enrichment program is part of its civilian nuclear energy program. This is allowed under Article IV of the NPT... Iran states it has a legal right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes under the NPT, and further says that it "has constantly complied with its obligations under the NPT and the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency".
There are currently 189 countries party to the treaty... Five states are recognized by the NPT as nuclear weapon states (NWS)... the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the People's Republic of China (the permanent members of the UN Security Council).
Only four recognized sovereign states are not parties to the treaty: India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea...
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said that by some estimates thirty-five to forty states could have the knowledge to develop nuclear weapons
Key Articles
Article I: Each nuclear-weapons state (NWS) undertakes not to transfer, to any recipient, nuclear weapons...
Article II: Each non-NWS party undertakes not to receive, from any source, nuclear weapons...
Article III: Each non-NWS party undertakes to conclude an agreement with the IAEA for the application of its safeguards to all nuclear material in all of the state's peaceful nuclear activities and to prevent diversion of such material to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
Article IV: Nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes...
Article VI. The states undertake to pursue "negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament", and towards a "Treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control".
Article X. Establishes the right to withdraw from the Treaty giving 3 months' notice..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Non-Proliferation_Treaty
"... Iran is a signatory state of the NPT and has recently (as of 2006) resumed development of a uranium enrichment program. The Iranian government states its enrichment program is part of its civilian nuclear energy program. This is allowed under Article IV of the NPT... Iran states it has a legal right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes under the NPT, and further says that it "has constantly complied with its obligations under the NPT and the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency".
There are currently 189 countries party to the treaty... Five states are recognized by the NPT as nuclear weapon states (NWS)... the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the People's Republic of China (the permanent members of the UN Security Council).
Only four recognized sovereign states are not parties to the treaty: India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea...
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said that by some estimates thirty-five to forty states could have the knowledge to develop nuclear weapons
Key Articles
Article I: Each nuclear-weapons state (NWS) undertakes not to transfer, to any recipient, nuclear weapons...
Article II: Each non-NWS party undertakes not to receive, from any source, nuclear weapons...
Article III: Each non-NWS party undertakes to conclude an agreement with the IAEA for the application of its safeguards to all nuclear material in all of the state's peaceful nuclear activities and to prevent diversion of such material to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
Article IV: Nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes...
Article VI. The states undertake to pursue "negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament", and towards a "Treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control".
Article X. Establishes the right to withdraw from the Treaty giving 3 months' notice..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Non-Proliferation_Treaty
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
ISRAEL HAS RESOURCES TO SUCCESSFULLY ATTACK IRAN
(Unless enrichment stops by late 2009)
"(A) detailed report compiled by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)... Study on a Possible Israeli Strike on Iran's Nuclear Development Facilities... concludes that the Jewish state has all the resources necessary for a successful strike. The CSIS paper ... maintains there is no need to destroy dozens or hundreds of sites; the destruction of seven to nine targets would be enough to cripple the Iranian program, and lists them as follows:
1. Lashkar A'bad, site of secret uranium enrichment plants in the north near the Turkish border.
2. Tehranb, for the central laboratory for developing atomic armaments as well as more uranium enrichment facilities.
3. Arak, in central Iran, where a heavy water plant is under construction to manufacture plutonium for weapons.
4. Isfahan, in central Iran, near which a small research reactor and a cluster of laboratories for uranium enrichment, centrifuges and weapons development, are situated.
5. Natanz, the main center for uranium enrichment.
6. Ardekan, at the southern tip of Iran, where more uranium enrichment facilities are located.
7. Saghand, Iran's main uranium mining region.
8. Bushehr, on the Persian Gulf shore, Iran's biggest nuclear reactor built by Russia:
9. Gachin, near the Strait of Hormuz, the site of more uranium mines and enrichment facilities...
The authors propose three attack routes for a potential Israeli operation against Iran: an eastern route over Saudi Arabia; a central route over Iraq, and a northern route over Turkey, Syria and northern Iraqi Kurdistan. They point to the third as Israel's best option in view of the superiority of its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities."
"... an Israeli official (said) that Jerusalem would give the Obama administration until late 2009 to stop Iran's uranium enrichment projects; after that, Israel will be forced to act..."
http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=1386
(Unless enrichment stops by late 2009)
"(A) detailed report compiled by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)... Study on a Possible Israeli Strike on Iran's Nuclear Development Facilities... concludes that the Jewish state has all the resources necessary for a successful strike. The CSIS paper ... maintains there is no need to destroy dozens or hundreds of sites; the destruction of seven to nine targets would be enough to cripple the Iranian program, and lists them as follows:
1. Lashkar A'bad, site of secret uranium enrichment plants in the north near the Turkish border.
2. Tehranb, for the central laboratory for developing atomic armaments as well as more uranium enrichment facilities.
3. Arak, in central Iran, where a heavy water plant is under construction to manufacture plutonium for weapons.
4. Isfahan, in central Iran, near which a small research reactor and a cluster of laboratories for uranium enrichment, centrifuges and weapons development, are situated.
5. Natanz, the main center for uranium enrichment.
6. Ardekan, at the southern tip of Iran, where more uranium enrichment facilities are located.
7. Saghand, Iran's main uranium mining region.
8. Bushehr, on the Persian Gulf shore, Iran's biggest nuclear reactor built by Russia:
9. Gachin, near the Strait of Hormuz, the site of more uranium mines and enrichment facilities...
The authors propose three attack routes for a potential Israeli operation against Iran: an eastern route over Saudi Arabia; a central route over Iraq, and a northern route over Turkey, Syria and northern Iraqi Kurdistan. They point to the third as Israel's best option in view of the superiority of its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities."
"... an Israeli official (said) that Jerusalem would give the Obama administration until late 2009 to stop Iran's uranium enrichment projects; after that, Israel will be forced to act..."
http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=1386
Monday, April 13, 2009
OBAMA PROPOSES URANIUM FUEL BANK FOR IRAN
"... the US is also probing a solution to the Iran nuclear problem with Kazakhstan's helping hand...President Barack Obama has already hinted that he intends to pay a visit to Kazakhstan... the Obama administration is "carefully considering" the setting up of an international uranium fuel bank in Kazakhstan... as part of a US-backed plan to put all uranium enrichment under international control... which could form the exit strategy for the historic US-Iran standoff. That is why the visit by the Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to Astana, Kazakhstan, on Monday assumes exceptional importance..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KD10Ak03.html
OBAMA MAY ACCEPT IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
"... It now appears that the US might cede to Iran's nuclear program... as part of a policy review commissioned by Obama, "diplomats are discussing whether the US will eventually have to accept Iran's insistence on carrying out the [enrichment] process, which can produce both nuclear fuel and weapons-grade material"... the Obama administration's message to Tehran is increasingly shaping up as "Don't develop a nuclear weapon" - a nuanced stance that would not rule out a deal accepting Iranian enrichment as such...."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KD10Ak03.html
"... the US is also probing a solution to the Iran nuclear problem with Kazakhstan's helping hand...President Barack Obama has already hinted that he intends to pay a visit to Kazakhstan... the Obama administration is "carefully considering" the setting up of an international uranium fuel bank in Kazakhstan... as part of a US-backed plan to put all uranium enrichment under international control... which could form the exit strategy for the historic US-Iran standoff. That is why the visit by the Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to Astana, Kazakhstan, on Monday assumes exceptional importance..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KD10Ak03.html
OBAMA MAY ACCEPT IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
"... It now appears that the US might cede to Iran's nuclear program... as part of a policy review commissioned by Obama, "diplomats are discussing whether the US will eventually have to accept Iran's insistence on carrying out the [enrichment] process, which can produce both nuclear fuel and weapons-grade material"... the Obama administration's message to Tehran is increasingly shaping up as "Don't develop a nuclear weapon" - a nuanced stance that would not rule out a deal accepting Iranian enrichment as such...."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KD10Ak03.html
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