IRAN PREPARING TO SUPPORT PALESTINIANS AGAINST ISRAEL

"... Ayatollah Ali Khameini in his speech Sunday... issued a fatwa calling on Muslims to stand up and defend Palestinians against Israel. He said "true believers" were "duty-bound to defend" the Palestinians. Khamenei did not spell out what he intended... On Monday, Dec. 29, Day 3 of Israel's Gaza operation, (a) spokesman said Iran had embarked on preparations for operations against Israel in line with the directives laid down by... Khameini... A group of hardline clerics is signing up volunteers to fight "against the Zionist regime" in the Gaza Strip "in either military, financial or propaganda fields"... (as) reported by the semi-official Fars news agency. Iranian lawmaker Ali Motahari told the Iranian news agency IRNA that it was time for Iran and Arab nations to go to war with Israel..."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), Tuesday, December 30, 2008
http://www.debka.com/index1.php

RUSSIA IMPLEMENTING CONTRACT FOR S-300 AIR DEFENSE MISSILE SYSTEMS

"... The RIA news agency reported... "Moscow has earlier met its obligations to supply Tor-M1 (short-range) systems to Iran and is currently implementing its contract to deliver S-300 systems"... the highly sophisticated medium-range air defense... S-300 deliveries began two weeks ago... coinciding with the return home of members of Iranian air defense officers from training in Russia... after Iran, Moscow will install the S-300 in Syria, focusing on securing the Russian naval bases going up in the Mediterranean port of Tartous..."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), December 18, 2008
http://www.debka.com/index.php

UKRAINE PROVIDED U.S. WITH A RADAR FROM S-300 SYSTEM

"Ukraine has provided the U.S. military with radar used in the S-300 air defence system... to research ways of counteracting it... Ukraine’s state arms exporter Ukrspetsexport supplied one such radar at the Pentagon’s request..."
http://www.russiatoday.com/Top_News/2008-11-24/How_Ukraine_armed_the_US_against_Iran.html

RUSSIA: IRAN INCAPABLE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

"... Vladimir Voronkov, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of European Cooperation... (contends) that Iran is presently incapable of developing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them... Russia's word has a notable significance on the matter because it enjoys unparalleled access to Iran's nuclear facilities... Moscow's combined intelligence agencies are in agreement that Iran does not have nuclear-weapons capability... (this) calls for serious rethinking about whether the "crisis" built up over Tehran going nuclear was nothing but a bogey..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JL17Ak03.html

IAEA REFUTES FEARS OF IRAN MAKING NUCLEAR WEAPONS

"... (a) false assumption that has been adopted like an article of faith by nearly all the pundits and nuclear experts in the US today, is that Iran is fast approaching a "nuclear breakout capability"... This... is a line of thinking that simply evades the obvious: that is, the fact that Iran's entire stock of enriched uranium is kept in containers sealed by the IAEA and the whole fuel enrichment plant is constantly monitored by the IAEA's surveillance cameras.... any Iranian attempt to tamper with the IAEA seals and or divert some of the stored low-enriched uranium to some clandestine facility would be quickly uncovered..."

"... (Consider) the robust IAEA inspection regime in place at Natanz and other nuclear facilities in Iran, as well as... the IAEA's declared confidence that it has been able to "continue to confirm the absence of any diversion". (Also consider) the IAEA's other important admission that it has not detected any diversion of nuclear material toward the "alleged weaponization studies..."

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JL06Ak01.html

IRAN EXTENDS FRIENDLY HAND TO OBAMA

"In a gesture of goodwill toward the next United States administration, Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has sent a letter to president-elect Barack Obama, congratulating his victory, praising the American people and raising the expectation of significant change in the US's foreign policy... the letter represents a small Iranian olive branch toward the US that will be taken into consideration by Obama and his foreign policy advisors..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JK08Ak02.html

ALLEGED IRANIAN NUKE DOCUMENTS A FRAUD?

"Documents linking Iran to nuclear weapons push may have been fabricated... The new evidence of possible fraud has increased pressure within the IAEA secretariat to distance the agency from the laptop documents... The US has based much of its push for sanctions against Iran on these documents..."
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/IAEA_suspects_fraud_in_evidence_for_1109.html

GULF STATES SIDE WITH IRAN, SEE NO NUCLEAR THREAT

"... the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) states - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have finally set aside their various misgivings and decided to take up Ahmadinejad's proposals on economic, political and security domains... proposing the conclusion of a security agreement... the GCC oil states are in a new assertive mood to stand up to the US's perceived arrogant and destabilizing moves, including with respect to Iran... the GCC states are today fairly comfortable with Iran's nuclear program and are no longer sold to the Washington and Tel Aviv-led "Iranophobia"... (Most of the) foreign policy advisors surrounding Obama are unanimously sold to the "grave threat" of a "nuclear-armed Iran" and, thus, it must come as a shocking surprise to them that Iran's Arab neighbors in the Persian Gulf do not share this threat perception..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JK04Ak03.html

IRAN'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM STOPPED IN 2003

"... 16 agencies of the U.S. intelligence community concluded in a formal National Intelligence Estimate last November that work on the nuclear weapons-related part of Iran's nuclear program was halted in mid-2003. And... Thomas Fingar, National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell's deputy for national estimates, reiterated that judgment as recently as Sept. 4... (while) the Post's Walter Pincus reported on Sept. 10 that Fingar added that Iran has not restarted its nuclear weapons work..."
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/10/18-2

ISRAELI STRIKE ON IRAN NOW MORE PROBABLE

"... a U.S.-backed Israeli strike on Iran (is) now considered more probable... The U.S. has deployed a sophisticated long-range radar system in Israel capable of providing crucial early warning in case of a missile attack. The U.S. has also agreed... to sell a thousand GBU-39 bunker-busting bombs capable of penetrating reinforced concrete...Israel also sought upgraded refuelling jets, which would be necessary to refuel fighter jets returning from an attack on Iran, as well as a clear flight path over Iraq in order to reach Iran without being accidentally hit by U.S. fighter jets... the Israeli Air Force (IAF) carried out a military exercise involving more than 100 F-15 and F-16 fighter jets over eastern Greece, in what was said to be a dummy attack on Iran. The distance covered was approximately 900 miles, the same distance to Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment plant from Israel..."
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=44235

U.S. CLOSER TO BLOCKADING IRAN

"The United States government has imposed new sanctions on Iran, this time targeting its shipping industry, by blacklisting the main shipping line and 18 subsidiaries, accusing the maritime carrier of being engaged in contraband nuclear material... (Sanctions could be) a prelude for more serious and dangerous actions in the near future... the interdiction of Iranian ships on the high seas and even incremental steps toward imposing a regime of "smart blockade" aimed at denying Iran access to badly needed imported fuel... the US might seek to seize Russian nuclear goods bound for Iran, thus raising the ire of Moscow and using this as a payback for Russia's offensive in pro-West Georgia..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JI13Ak01.html

U.S. STRIKE FORCES GATHER IN MID EAST, IRAN PRACTICES DEFENSE

"... the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier headed out to the Mediterranean for missions “in support of maritime security.” Its arrival will bring the number of US aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean, Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea to four... .The Roosevelt will be followed by its strike force, which includes the guided missile cruiser Monterey , the guided missile destroyers Mason and Nitze , with 7,300 sailors and marines aboard, and the attack submarine Springfield... the USS Ronald Reagan carrier and its strike group began engaging in assault and support missions for US and NATO forces in Afghanistan... The Iwo Jima carrier group, whose decks carry 6,000 sailors, air crews and marines, supports the US Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean and Fifth Fleet in the Gulf with a massive amphibious capability.The USS San Antonio amphibious transport dock ship is the first vessel of its class to be deployed in the region as a platform for supporting Marine movements and operations ashore. The USS Peleliu carrier patrols the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. It is escorted by vessels carrying a large Marine contingent... (Meanwhile) Iran launched a three-day naval-air-missile exercise to practice defense tactics for its nuclear sites."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), September 10, 200
http://www.debka.com/index1.php

AL-QAEDA AND McCAIN AGAINST IRAN

"... Seven years after 9/11... al-Qaeda remains the golden motive that justifies the Bush administration threatening, invading, bombing or occupying Muslim countries. But, in fact, al-Qaeda's top strategic enemy nowadays, in a battle to seduce Muslim hearts and minds, are Shi'ites - be it Tehran or Hezbollah - and not the US. Similarities are eerie. Iran is part of Bush's "axis of evil" as well as al-Qaeda's "axis of evil". The US tries very hard to pit Sunnis against Shi'ites all over the Middle East while al-Qaeda also incites a war between Sunnis and Shi'ites.... al-Qaeda - fundamentalist Saudi Wahhabis - want a "long war" as much as the Bush administration and its extension, Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JI12Ak02.html

IRAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM STILL STOPPED

"... The NIE of November 2007 stated that, contrary to what President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney had been saying throughout 2007, the nuclear weapons-related portion of Iran's nuclear program had been stopped in the fall of 2003, and as of mid-2007 had probably not been restarted... The relevant NIE key judgment reads: "We assess with moderate confidence Tehran has not restarted its nuclear weapons program as of mid-2007"... Thomas Fingar, the U.S. government's top intelligence analyst, in a public speech on Sept. 4, repeated the intelligence community's key judgment that Iran's work on the "weaponization portion" of its nuclear development program "was suspended" in 2003."
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/09/11-4

DUTCH: U.S. ATTACK ON IRAN IMMINENT

"... the Dutch intelligence agency recently recalled operatives from Iran in response to information that a United States attack on the Islamic Republic is "imminent"... targets of the impending American bombing campaign include facilities infiltrated by one of the Dutch agents... Iranian nuclear plants, military installations, missile supply lines and the like are expected to be targeted by unmanned bombers... American naval vessels are making their way towards the Persian Gulf in... preparation for a maritime blockade of Iranian fuel supplies..."
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/127444

RUSSIA-IRAN ALLIANCE

"Iranian Trump Card. Russia Can Take Control of Persian Gulf"... the signing of a new large-scale military political treaty with Iran could change the entire geopolitical picture of the contemporary world... (A Russian) military base... on the Island of Qeshm in the Persian Gulf... would allow Russia to monitor the United States' and NATO's activities in the Persian Gulf zone, Iraq and other Arab states. With the help of special equipment Russia could effectively monitor who is sailing toward this sea bottleneck, from where, and with what cargo on board... Russia will have a possibility to stop suspicious vessels and ships and inspect their cargo... In exchange for the deployment of its military bases Russia could help the Iranians to deploy modern air defense and missile defense systems..."
http://www.juancole.com/2008/08/osc-russia-iran-alliance.html

IRAN SUPPLYING POWER TO IRAQ

"The Bush administration and western companies like Bechtel have failed to deliver on promises to improve infrastructure... "Now, the (Diyala) province gets power from Iran under a contract signed about two years ago between the Iraqi government and Iran," Naseer Milmy, an employee with the directorate-general of electricity told IPS... Through the difficulties, people look now to Iran, not the U.S., for a better life."
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43477

MOST UN MEMBERS SUPPORT IRAN

"... the bulk of the UN member states are solidly behind Iran's position - that it is entitled to a peaceful nuclear fuel cycle that is fully monitored by the IAEA and lawful under the articles of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to which Iran is a signatory..."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JH09Ak01.html

BUSH ADMINISTRATION BEING PUSHED TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH IRAN

"... A torrent of studies suddenly coming out of US think tanks in recent weeks shows how hard American research and intelligence circles are leaning on the administration to expand its dialogue with Tehran. Bush is being urged to call off sanctions against Iran’s nuclear program and withdraw US backing from Iran’s disaffected minorities’ revolt against the Islamic regime – all for the purpose of putting US-Iranian relations on a normal footing."
--DEBKAfile (Israel), August 5, 2008
http://www.debka.com/index1.php

BUSH FOLDED ON IRAN

“Bush sent the No. 3 man in the State Department to sit at a table on July 19 across from an Iranian negotiator, without any preconditions… What drove W. to undermine John McCain by suddenly adopting Barack Obama's foreign policy prescription on Iran?...

(It was because) Oil companies and European governments are not happy with U.S. policy toward Iran. American and European energy corporations are losing billions in potential profits because… sanctions on companies that attempt to develop Iran's oil and gas. The sanctions do not produce regime change, but they do reduce the world supply of oil and gas… The U.S. has therefore simultaneously been interfering with the availability of cheap petroleum products globally and making the case for military action against Iran less compelling.

(Bush’s) opening to Iran was … a victory … of realism… Bush's Iran policy (now) looks more like that of Barack Obama than that of John McCain…”

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/07/31/iran/index.html

SECRET U.S.- IRANIAN DIALOG ON OIL AND WAR

"Secret US-Iranian Dialogue Brings Oil Prices down... yielded ad hoc understandings on controversial issues. One is an agreement not to allow the price of oil to rocket past $150 the barrel... common ground was covered for three key objectives:

1. The American side was willing to refrain from military action against Iran before the end of the Bush presidency in January 2009...

2. Iran undertook to open the way for the US military to continue to go from strength to strength in fighting al Qaeda and the Sunni guerrilla insurgents in Iraq, to allow President Bush to claim his Iraq campaign had ended successfully before leaving the White House.... Tehran ordered Iranian intelligence officers working undercover in Iraq to halt attacks on US troops by pro-Iranian militias, including Moqtada Sadr’s Mehdi Army....

3. In the background of the secret dialogue is the Bush administration’s ambition to help fellow-Republican Senator John McCain get elected to the White House..."

http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=1356