3 aug 2013
Pro-Israel organizations in Argentina have been angered by and opposed the memorandum of understanding signed by the South American country and Iran to jointly investigate the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Press TV reports.
Tehran and Buenos Aires signed a memorandum of understanding in January to jointly probe the bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA), which killed 85 people and wounded 300 others.
Argentina has defended its decision to sign the MoU with Iran, saying that a firm commitment to the victims and their families as well as a position of opposing certain foreign interests are the main reasons behind the agreement.
“Current actions on the AMIA case followed the search of international support as well as the need to tell Iran and the whole world that we will not allow the AMIA case to be used as a justification for geopolitical interests that have no relation either with the law or interests of the Republic of Argentina,” Argentina’s Foreign Minister Hector Timerman earlier said.
However, pro-Israel organizations in Argentina, such as the Delegation of Israeli-Argentine Associations (DAIA), continue to resist the bilateral move, claiming the deal is “unconstitutional.”
This is while the Supreme Court of Argentina, the country’s highest tribunal, is set to give its final word on the constitutionality of the accord already signed into law by the National Congress.
“The truth has not been reached because the case is full of nullities and because the only thing that has been done is to accuse a country defied by Israel and that has no diplomatic relations with the US. They first look for someone to blame and then the evidence to go in that way,” said head of the House for the Diffusion of Islam Sheij Mohsen Ali.
Despite pressure by local Zionist lobbies, organizations such as the Interpol and Amnesty International have considered the MoU as a significant step toward shedding light on the AMIA case.
Officials, experts and Muslim leaders also say the accord is the first solid step towards finding the truth about the attack.
Furthermore, Argentina’s National Prosecutor General Alejandra Gils Carbo has recently refused to finance a trip by AMIA special prosecutor to the US Congress.
Prosecutor Alberto Nisman was expected to present an indictment to the US Congress accusing Iran of allegedly “infiltrating” Latin America to establish “intelligence networks.”
Under intense political pressure from the US and Israel, Argentina had previously accused Iran of having carried out the bomb attack. The Islamic Republic has categorically denied any involvement in the terrorist bombing.(video on the link)
Tehran and Buenos Aires signed a memorandum of understanding in January to jointly probe the bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA), which killed 85 people and wounded 300 others.
Argentina has defended its decision to sign the MoU with Iran, saying that a firm commitment to the victims and their families as well as a position of opposing certain foreign interests are the main reasons behind the agreement.
“Current actions on the AMIA case followed the search of international support as well as the need to tell Iran and the whole world that we will not allow the AMIA case to be used as a justification for geopolitical interests that have no relation either with the law or interests of the Republic of Argentina,” Argentina’s Foreign Minister Hector Timerman earlier said.
However, pro-Israel organizations in Argentina, such as the Delegation of Israeli-Argentine Associations (DAIA), continue to resist the bilateral move, claiming the deal is “unconstitutional.”
This is while the Supreme Court of Argentina, the country’s highest tribunal, is set to give its final word on the constitutionality of the accord already signed into law by the National Congress.
“The truth has not been reached because the case is full of nullities and because the only thing that has been done is to accuse a country defied by Israel and that has no diplomatic relations with the US. They first look for someone to blame and then the evidence to go in that way,” said head of the House for the Diffusion of Islam Sheij Mohsen Ali.
Despite pressure by local Zionist lobbies, organizations such as the Interpol and Amnesty International have considered the MoU as a significant step toward shedding light on the AMIA case.
Officials, experts and Muslim leaders also say the accord is the first solid step towards finding the truth about the attack.
Furthermore, Argentina’s National Prosecutor General Alejandra Gils Carbo has recently refused to finance a trip by AMIA special prosecutor to the US Congress.
Prosecutor Alberto Nisman was expected to present an indictment to the US Congress accusing Iran of allegedly “infiltrating” Latin America to establish “intelligence networks.”
Under intense political pressure from the US and Israel, Argentina had previously accused Iran of having carried out the bomb attack. The Islamic Republic has categorically denied any involvement in the terrorist bombing.(video on the link)
2 aug 2013
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Rouhani has pledged to 'follow the path of moderation and justice, not extremism' after his election as Iran's next president
On the sidelines of a pro-Palestinian rally in Tehran, Rouhani misquoted as saying Israel is a wound that 'should be removed' Iran's president-elect, Hassan Rouhani, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a pro-Palestinian rally in Tehran earlier on Friday, was misquoted as saying that Israel is a wound that "should be removed". Iran's semi-official Isna news agency misreported Rouhani's quotes, which were then |
widely disseminated by western news agencies and prompted Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, to react to remarks that the Iranian president never made.
Isna initially quoted Rouhani as saying: "The Zionist regime has been a wound on the body of the Islamic world for years and the wound should be removed."
In fact, Rouhani said: "In our region, a sore has been on the body of the Islamic world for many years in the shadow of the occupation of the holy land of Palestine and the dear Quds."
He added: "This day is in fact a reminder that Muslim people will not forgot their historic right and will continue to stand against aggression and tyranny."
Rouhani did not mention the word Israel, nor that it should be "removed". The agency has now amended its article to reflect the true quotes but the falsified ones have already been doing the rounds. Iran's English-language state television, Press TV, also said Rouhani's quotes had been distorted.
"News agencies distort Iran pres-elect Rohani's remarks on Quds Day," said a breaking news caption on Press TV, according to Reuters.
Rouhani was speaking at the al-Quds day, an annual event held on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan, aimed at showing solidarity with Palestinians. A video of Rouhani showing him expressing those remarks is posted on Youtube.
According to the Associated Press, Netanyahu reacted to Rouhani's falsified quotes by saying: "The real face of Rouhani has been exposed earlier than expected… This is what the man thinks and this is the Iranian regime's operational plan ... A country that threatens to destroy Israel must not be allowed weapons of mass destruction."
Isna initially quoted Rouhani as saying: "The Zionist regime has been a wound on the body of the Islamic world for years and the wound should be removed."
In fact, Rouhani said: "In our region, a sore has been on the body of the Islamic world for many years in the shadow of the occupation of the holy land of Palestine and the dear Quds."
He added: "This day is in fact a reminder that Muslim people will not forgot their historic right and will continue to stand against aggression and tyranny."
Rouhani did not mention the word Israel, nor that it should be "removed". The agency has now amended its article to reflect the true quotes but the falsified ones have already been doing the rounds. Iran's English-language state television, Press TV, also said Rouhani's quotes had been distorted.
"News agencies distort Iran pres-elect Rohani's remarks on Quds Day," said a breaking news caption on Press TV, according to Reuters.
Rouhani was speaking at the al-Quds day, an annual event held on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan, aimed at showing solidarity with Palestinians. A video of Rouhani showing him expressing those remarks is posted on Youtube.
According to the Associated Press, Netanyahu reacted to Rouhani's falsified quotes by saying: "The real face of Rouhani has been exposed earlier than expected… This is what the man thinks and this is the Iranian regime's operational plan ... A country that threatens to destroy Israel must not be allowed weapons of mass destruction."
Protest in Sydney, Australia
Iran's new president says 'Zionist regime' is a 'wound that should be removed' as millions mark al-Quds Day. Netanyahu: Rohani's true face exposed sooner than expected Ahmadinajed: A devastating storm will uproot basis of Zionism
Iran's new president has called Israel an "old wound" that should be removed in comments published just two days ahead of his inauguration and as millions of Iranians took to the streets to mark al-Quds Day.
Hassan Rohani's remarks about Israel - his country's archenemy - echo those of other Iranian leaders.
Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency says Rohani spoke after taking part in an annual pro-Palestine rally in Tehran on Friday.
The report quoted Rohani as saying: "The Zionist regime has been a wound on the body of the Islamic world for years and the wound should be removed."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in response, "Rohani's true face has been exposed sooner than expected. Even if his comments will quickly be denied – that's what the man thinks and that's the Iranian regime's game plan."
"These remarks should awaken the world from the illusion that has taken hold on some since the elections in Iran," he added.
Outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also addressed the Iranian people offering remarks that were equally as scathing.
"I will inform you with God as my witness, a devastating storm is on the way that will uproot the basis of Zionism," Ahmadinejad told crowds at annual al-Quds Day rallies.
Israel "has no place in this region", he added.
Mass rallies are being held across Iran on International al-Quds Day in support of the Palestinian people.
Protesters are carrying Palestinian flags and anti-Israel signs. They are chanting slogans against the United States and Israel.
"Millions of Iranians from all walks of life took to the streets nationwide in solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian nation, voicing their anger at the policies of the Israeli regime and its allies and calling for the liberation of Palestine," Iran's Press TV website reported.
On Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry called on Iranian people as well as Muslim nations to take part in International al-Quds Day rallies to show their opposition to the Israeli regime.
In a statement, the ministry said that the clear message conveyed by the Palestinian resistance and the Islamic Awakening in the Middle East is that the only way to save the Palestinian nation is for the Palestinian people and leaders to remain united and stand up to the occupying Israeli regime, Press TV reported.
Similar al-Quds marches are set to take place in dozens of other Muslim states. Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah will give a speech from his hideout in Beirut later on Friday.
Iran has been marking al-Quds Day since 1979 after Ayatollah Khomeini declared the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as International al-Quds Day, calling on Muslims across the world to mark the annual occasion by holding street rallies.
Iran's new president says 'Zionist regime' is a 'wound that should be removed' as millions mark al-Quds Day. Netanyahu: Rohani's true face exposed sooner than expected Ahmadinajed: A devastating storm will uproot basis of Zionism
Iran's new president has called Israel an "old wound" that should be removed in comments published just two days ahead of his inauguration and as millions of Iranians took to the streets to mark al-Quds Day.
Hassan Rohani's remarks about Israel - his country's archenemy - echo those of other Iranian leaders.
Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency says Rohani spoke after taking part in an annual pro-Palestine rally in Tehran on Friday.
The report quoted Rohani as saying: "The Zionist regime has been a wound on the body of the Islamic world for years and the wound should be removed."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in response, "Rohani's true face has been exposed sooner than expected. Even if his comments will quickly be denied – that's what the man thinks and that's the Iranian regime's game plan."
"These remarks should awaken the world from the illusion that has taken hold on some since the elections in Iran," he added.
Outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also addressed the Iranian people offering remarks that were equally as scathing.
"I will inform you with God as my witness, a devastating storm is on the way that will uproot the basis of Zionism," Ahmadinejad told crowds at annual al-Quds Day rallies.
Israel "has no place in this region", he added.
Mass rallies are being held across Iran on International al-Quds Day in support of the Palestinian people.
Protesters are carrying Palestinian flags and anti-Israel signs. They are chanting slogans against the United States and Israel.
"Millions of Iranians from all walks of life took to the streets nationwide in solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian nation, voicing their anger at the policies of the Israeli regime and its allies and calling for the liberation of Palestine," Iran's Press TV website reported.
On Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry called on Iranian people as well as Muslim nations to take part in International al-Quds Day rallies to show their opposition to the Israeli regime.
In a statement, the ministry said that the clear message conveyed by the Palestinian resistance and the Islamic Awakening in the Middle East is that the only way to save the Palestinian nation is for the Palestinian people and leaders to remain united and stand up to the occupying Israeli regime, Press TV reported.
Similar al-Quds marches are set to take place in dozens of other Muslim states. Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah will give a speech from his hideout in Beirut later on Friday.
Iran has been marking al-Quds Day since 1979 after Ayatollah Khomeini declared the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as International al-Quds Day, calling on Muslims across the world to mark the annual occasion by holding street rallies.
Iran's outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday warned arch-foe Israel that a regional storm was on the way to "uproot" it.
"I will inform you with God as my witness, a devastating storm is on the way that will uproot the basis of Zionism," Ahmadinejad told crowds at annual Quds Day rallies.
Israel "has no place in this region", he added ahead of Hassan Rowhani assuming the presidency of the Islamic republic this weekend.
"I will inform you with God as my witness, a devastating storm is on the way that will uproot the basis of Zionism," Ahmadinejad told crowds at annual Quds Day rallies.
Israel "has no place in this region", he added ahead of Hassan Rowhani assuming the presidency of the Islamic republic this weekend.
There are currently millions of people rallying in Iran, showing their solidarity with the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation. The rallies are being held in honor of International Quds Day. Millions are voicing anger at the Israeli regime, and demanding freedom and justice for Palestinians.
Iranian protesters are also directing their slogans toward the US for the essential role that the US plays in aiding the Israeli military’s violence against Palestinian civilians. Millions of people from more than 80 countries are also joining in solidarity and demanding an end to the Israeli occupation.
The day before Intl. Quds Day, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that the “clear message conveyed by the Palestinian resistance and the Islamic Awakening in the Middle East is that the only way to save the Palestinian nation is for the Palestinian people and leaders to remain united and stand up to the occupying Israeli regime,” Press TV reported.
International Quds day began in 1979 by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s late founder, Ayatollah Khomeini. Khomeini called for every last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to be an occasion for rallies in solidarity with Palestinians. This solidarity includes opposition to Israeli control in the city Jerusalem, for which Quds is the Arabic name.
Iranian protesters are also directing their slogans toward the US for the essential role that the US plays in aiding the Israeli military’s violence against Palestinian civilians. Millions of people from more than 80 countries are also joining in solidarity and demanding an end to the Israeli occupation.
The day before Intl. Quds Day, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that the “clear message conveyed by the Palestinian resistance and the Islamic Awakening in the Middle East is that the only way to save the Palestinian nation is for the Palestinian people and leaders to remain united and stand up to the occupying Israeli regime,” Press TV reported.
International Quds day began in 1979 by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s late founder, Ayatollah Khomeini. Khomeini called for every last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to be an occasion for rallies in solidarity with Palestinians. This solidarity includes opposition to Israeli control in the city Jerusalem, for which Quds is the Arabic name.
1 aug 2013
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday hailed new US sanctions over Iran's nuclear program, approved ahead of the new Iranian president's inauguration.
"Following the Iranian elections the (US) House of Representatives has sent a clear message to the Iranian regime that international pressure will increase until Iran... ceases its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability," Netanyahu said in a statement.
"We will judge Iran by its actions alone," he said.
The House approved on Wednesday new sanctions aimed at preventing Iran from gaining atomic weapons capability, sending a provocative signal to Tehran before Hassan Rowhani's inauguration.
Critics say the vote was badly timed, coming just three days before Rowhani, Iran's former nuclear negotiator takes the presidential helm.
Advocates of diplomacy have suggested that the United States should use the departure of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a chance to seek engagement with Iran, instead of maintaining a rigid posture.
Israel, the region's sole if undeclared nuclear power, and Western powers accuse Iran of using its atomic energy programme as a cover for developing an atomic bomb. Tehran vehemently denies the charge.
Tensions between regional arch-foes Iran and Israel hit a high during Ahmadinejad's eight-year presidency, marked by his repeated controversial remarks, including the denial of the Holocaust.
Netanyahu has kept up Israel's belligerent rhetoric even after the Iranian presidency's change of hands, calling Rowhani a "wolf in sheep's clothing" who would "smile and build a bomb."
"Following the Iranian elections the (US) House of Representatives has sent a clear message to the Iranian regime that international pressure will increase until Iran... ceases its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability," Netanyahu said in a statement.
"We will judge Iran by its actions alone," he said.
The House approved on Wednesday new sanctions aimed at preventing Iran from gaining atomic weapons capability, sending a provocative signal to Tehran before Hassan Rowhani's inauguration.
Critics say the vote was badly timed, coming just three days before Rowhani, Iran's former nuclear negotiator takes the presidential helm.
Advocates of diplomacy have suggested that the United States should use the departure of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a chance to seek engagement with Iran, instead of maintaining a rigid posture.
Israel, the region's sole if undeclared nuclear power, and Western powers accuse Iran of using its atomic energy programme as a cover for developing an atomic bomb. Tehran vehemently denies the charge.
Tensions between regional arch-foes Iran and Israel hit a high during Ahmadinejad's eight-year presidency, marked by his repeated controversial remarks, including the denial of the Holocaust.
Netanyahu has kept up Israel's belligerent rhetoric even after the Iranian presidency's change of hands, calling Rowhani a "wolf in sheep's clothing" who would "smile and build a bomb."
31 july 2013
A Palestinian man waves th national flag of Palestine to protest against the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements
Iranian commander Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri says the Zionist regime of Israel is struggling with different problems and is fated to collapse.
“With the serious and complicated crises [at present] it won’t be long before the fake and occupying Zionist regime [of Israel] faces collapse,” said Iran’s Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff in a Wednesday statement.
He made the remarks ahead of the International Quds Day slated for Friday. In August 1979, the late founder of the Islamic Republic Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as Quds Day, calling on Muslims to mark the annual occasion by holding street rallies.
Jazayeri said Quds Day was the global symbol of solidarity against Zionism and “the US and Zionists will ultimately have no choice but to accept the reality of their defeat.”
“One of the reasons for the great concern of the US and Zionists over the Islamic Awakening is due to the issue of Palestine because if democratic governments come to power in the region there will be no room for the presence of occupiers,” Jazayeri added.
The Iranian commander stated that the Israeli regime continues to exist because of widespread support by the US, Western countries and global Zionism, noting, “However, if there is a united view among regional countries, there is nothing that the US can do and the land of Palestine will be restored to the Palestinians.”
Iranian commander Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri says the Zionist regime of Israel is struggling with different problems and is fated to collapse.
“With the serious and complicated crises [at present] it won’t be long before the fake and occupying Zionist regime [of Israel] faces collapse,” said Iran’s Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff in a Wednesday statement.
He made the remarks ahead of the International Quds Day slated for Friday. In August 1979, the late founder of the Islamic Republic Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as Quds Day, calling on Muslims to mark the annual occasion by holding street rallies.
Jazayeri said Quds Day was the global symbol of solidarity against Zionism and “the US and Zionists will ultimately have no choice but to accept the reality of their defeat.”
“One of the reasons for the great concern of the US and Zionists over the Islamic Awakening is due to the issue of Palestine because if democratic governments come to power in the region there will be no room for the presence of occupiers,” Jazayeri added.
The Iranian commander stated that the Israeli regime continues to exist because of widespread support by the US, Western countries and global Zionism, noting, “However, if there is a united view among regional countries, there is nothing that the US can do and the land of Palestine will be restored to the Palestinians.”
US research group: Iran may have nuclear breakout capability in mid-2014
Iran may achieve the “critical capability” to process low-enriched uranium into fuel for a nuclear weapon without detection by international inspectors by mid-2014, according to a report by a research group.
Iran would reach this capability by acting on plans to install thousands of additional enrichment centrifuges at its Natanz and Fordo sites, according to David Albright, a former nuclear inspector, and Christina Walrond of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security.
Iran may achieve the “critical capability” to process low-enriched uranium into fuel for a nuclear weapon without detection by international inspectors by mid-2014, according to a report by a research group.
Iran would reach this capability by acting on plans to install thousands of additional enrichment centrifuges at its Natanz and Fordo sites, according to David Albright, a former nuclear inspector, and Christina Walrond of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security.
27 july 2013
Former French ambassador says Rohani foiled nuclear plan in 2003
Former French Ambassador to Iran Francois Nicolaud said that Iran's new president, Hassan Rohani, foiled a secret nuclear program in 2003. Until 2005, as chairman of the Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Rohani headed nuclear talks between Tehran and the West. "Based on talks I had at the time with state officials, I believe that Rohani was the key of the process," said Nicolaud.
Former French Ambassador to Iran Francois Nicolaud said that Iran's new president, Hassan Rohani, foiled a secret nuclear program in 2003. Until 2005, as chairman of the Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Rohani headed nuclear talks between Tehran and the West. "Based on talks I had at the time with state officials, I believe that Rohani was the key of the process," said Nicolaud.
24 july 2013
Japanese FM Fumio Kishida shakes hands with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, on July 24
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday urged greater pressure on Iran over its nuclear program as he met Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida in Jerusalem.
"I think we need to increase the pressure on Iran. Only by doing this will there be real changes in the attitude of that country," Netanyahu's office was quoted him as saying at the meeting.
"Israel and Japan both face states that are developing dangerous nuclear weapons programs," he said in reference also to North Korea.
"We know perfectly well the threat that irrational and extremist regimes, who wish to gain nuclear arms and ballistic missiles, pose to the security of our states and countries the world over."
Netanyahu on Sunday renewed his threat to take unilateral military action to halt Iran's atomic drive, disparagingly referring to new Iran president Hassan Rowhani as "a wolf in sheep's clothing" who would "smile and build a bomb".
"We're closer than the United States. We're more vulnerable. And therefore, we'll have to address this question of how to stop Iran, perhaps before the United States does," Netanyahu told US television station CBS.
"They're edging up to the red line. They haven't crossed it yet," the Israeli premier said, referring to the point at which Iran would be able to make its first nuclear weapon.
"They're getting closer and closer to the bomb. And they have to be told in no uncertain terms that that will not be allowed to happen."
Rowhani brushed off the threats of military action, saying such warnings only made him "laugh," it was reported on Wednesday.
Israel is the Middle East's sole but undeclared nuclear power.
Iran for years has been at loggerheads with world powers over its nuclear drive, which Western nations and Israel believe is aimed at developing an atomic weapons capability. Tehran insists the program is entirely peaceful.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday urged greater pressure on Iran over its nuclear program as he met Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida in Jerusalem.
"I think we need to increase the pressure on Iran. Only by doing this will there be real changes in the attitude of that country," Netanyahu's office was quoted him as saying at the meeting.
"Israel and Japan both face states that are developing dangerous nuclear weapons programs," he said in reference also to North Korea.
"We know perfectly well the threat that irrational and extremist regimes, who wish to gain nuclear arms and ballistic missiles, pose to the security of our states and countries the world over."
Netanyahu on Sunday renewed his threat to take unilateral military action to halt Iran's atomic drive, disparagingly referring to new Iran president Hassan Rowhani as "a wolf in sheep's clothing" who would "smile and build a bomb".
"We're closer than the United States. We're more vulnerable. And therefore, we'll have to address this question of how to stop Iran, perhaps before the United States does," Netanyahu told US television station CBS.
"They're edging up to the red line. They haven't crossed it yet," the Israeli premier said, referring to the point at which Iran would be able to make its first nuclear weapon.
"They're getting closer and closer to the bomb. And they have to be told in no uncertain terms that that will not be allowed to happen."
Rowhani brushed off the threats of military action, saying such warnings only made him "laugh," it was reported on Wednesday.
Israel is the Middle East's sole but undeclared nuclear power.
Iran for years has been at loggerheads with world powers over its nuclear drive, which Western nations and Israel believe is aimed at developing an atomic weapons capability. Tehran insists the program is entirely peaceful.
20 july 2013
Veteran White House aide Gary Sick (shown), who served on the US National Security Council under US Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan
A veteran White House aide says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hue and cry about Iran seeking to build nuclear weapons is empty.
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not a subtle man. When he has an objective in mind, he is not above resorting to hyperbole, exaggeration, or apocalyptic scenarios to make his point. He has been crying wolf nearly as long as he has been in politics. For a very good reason: It works. And it works. And it works,” wrote Gary Sick, who served on the US National Security Council under US Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, on the CNN website.
“Unlike the boy in the story who lost credibility when he sounded the alarm one time too many, each new iteration by Mr. Netanyahu is greeted with nods of grave concern,” he added.
Sick then referred to the “latest edition of this long-running show” by Netanyahu on the CBS News Network last Sunday, when the Israeli prime minister said Iranian President-elect Hassan Rohani will seek to “build a bomb.”
“More than 20 years ago, Mr. Netanyahu solemnly informed us that, unless someone intervened, Iran would have a nuclear weapon within five years… Almost every year since the early 1990s, senior political figures, intelligence specialists and respected commentators have assured us that Iran would surely have a nuclear weapon in three to five years, sometimes less, unless Iran were forced to stop…,” Sick added.
The senior research scholar and adjunct professor of international affairs at Columbia University further said that, “It is not hard to understand the logic of this assertion,” pointing to the Israeli nuclear weapons program, which yielded nuclear bombs “in absolute secrecy in only a few years.”
The Israeli nuclear weapons program, Sick said, was followed by “South Africa, India, [and] even poor Pakistan with virtually no heavy industrial base.”
However, he noted, Iran, which is “endowed with a robust industrial base, exceptional engineering universities, [and] a well-educated population… has no nuclear weapon.”
“Why?” he asked, responding that just as “all US intelligence services” have confirmed, Iran does not intend to build nuclear weapons.
In 2007, a US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) verified Iran was not after nuclear arms. The report, prepared by 16 US intelligence agencies, confirmed with “high confidence” the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program. A similar report was also published in 2011.
“Mr. Netanyahu did not mention that in his TV appearance,” Sick said, adding, “Instead, he was digging up his talking points from another crisis point in the past.”
He once again reminded the readers of Netanyahu’s calls over Iran as well as a “testimony” by the hawkish premier in front of the House Government Reform Committee, around 10 years ago, over Iraq in which he persistently claimed, “every indication we have is that (Saddam Hussein) is pursuing, pursuing with abandon, pursuing with every ounce of effort, the establishment of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.”
In 2003, then US President George W. Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq under the same allegation, but to the embarrassment of the US and the other proponents of the war on Iraq, no WMDs were ever found in the Middle Eastern country.
“Mr. Netanyahu badly needs a new set of talking points,” Sick noted.
The former White House aide then pointed to the election of Rohani and his upcoming inauguration, and said, “We have a choice between the frayed talking points of the past,… or toward a newly energized diplomatic initiative that offers” a way out of the Western impasse over Iran's nuclear energy program.
Rohani won Iran’s June 14 presidential election with 18,613,329 votes, or 50.7 percent of a total of 36,704,156 ballots counted.
The Iranian president-elect has pledged to seek “constructive interaction” with the world through a policy of moderation.
A veteran White House aide says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hue and cry about Iran seeking to build nuclear weapons is empty.
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not a subtle man. When he has an objective in mind, he is not above resorting to hyperbole, exaggeration, or apocalyptic scenarios to make his point. He has been crying wolf nearly as long as he has been in politics. For a very good reason: It works. And it works. And it works,” wrote Gary Sick, who served on the US National Security Council under US Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, on the CNN website.
“Unlike the boy in the story who lost credibility when he sounded the alarm one time too many, each new iteration by Mr. Netanyahu is greeted with nods of grave concern,” he added.
Sick then referred to the “latest edition of this long-running show” by Netanyahu on the CBS News Network last Sunday, when the Israeli prime minister said Iranian President-elect Hassan Rohani will seek to “build a bomb.”
“More than 20 years ago, Mr. Netanyahu solemnly informed us that, unless someone intervened, Iran would have a nuclear weapon within five years… Almost every year since the early 1990s, senior political figures, intelligence specialists and respected commentators have assured us that Iran would surely have a nuclear weapon in three to five years, sometimes less, unless Iran were forced to stop…,” Sick added.
The senior research scholar and adjunct professor of international affairs at Columbia University further said that, “It is not hard to understand the logic of this assertion,” pointing to the Israeli nuclear weapons program, which yielded nuclear bombs “in absolute secrecy in only a few years.”
The Israeli nuclear weapons program, Sick said, was followed by “South Africa, India, [and] even poor Pakistan with virtually no heavy industrial base.”
However, he noted, Iran, which is “endowed with a robust industrial base, exceptional engineering universities, [and] a well-educated population… has no nuclear weapon.”
“Why?” he asked, responding that just as “all US intelligence services” have confirmed, Iran does not intend to build nuclear weapons.
In 2007, a US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) verified Iran was not after nuclear arms. The report, prepared by 16 US intelligence agencies, confirmed with “high confidence” the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program. A similar report was also published in 2011.
“Mr. Netanyahu did not mention that in his TV appearance,” Sick said, adding, “Instead, he was digging up his talking points from another crisis point in the past.”
He once again reminded the readers of Netanyahu’s calls over Iran as well as a “testimony” by the hawkish premier in front of the House Government Reform Committee, around 10 years ago, over Iraq in which he persistently claimed, “every indication we have is that (Saddam Hussein) is pursuing, pursuing with abandon, pursuing with every ounce of effort, the establishment of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.”
In 2003, then US President George W. Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq under the same allegation, but to the embarrassment of the US and the other proponents of the war on Iraq, no WMDs were ever found in the Middle Eastern country.
“Mr. Netanyahu badly needs a new set of talking points,” Sick noted.
The former White House aide then pointed to the election of Rohani and his upcoming inauguration, and said, “We have a choice between the frayed talking points of the past,… or toward a newly energized diplomatic initiative that offers” a way out of the Western impasse over Iran's nuclear energy program.
Rohani won Iran’s June 14 presidential election with 18,613,329 votes, or 50.7 percent of a total of 36,704,156 ballots counted.
The Iranian president-elect has pledged to seek “constructive interaction” with the world through a policy of moderation.
17 july 2013
Iranian President-elect Hassan Rohani speaks during a meeting with a group of war veterans in Tehran on July 16, 2013
Iran's President-elect Hassan Rohani has scoffed at Israeli saber rattling, saying Tel Aviv is in no position to act on its war threats against Tehran.
Addressing a gathering of war veterans on Tuesday in Tehran, Rohani said when it comes to Iran, the notion of all options being on the table is ridiculous.
The enemy is well aware that in case of a military action, Iran will stand up, more forcefully and bolder than its adversaries, he stressed.
Rohani made the remarks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated war threats against the Islamic Republic on Sunday, and urged world leaders to intensify sanctions against Iran.
Speaking on CBS News's Face the Nation, Netanyahu said Tehran is edging toward Israel’s “Red Line,” and threatened that Israel would unilaterally take a military action if Tehran does not give in to pressure.
“We’re closer than the United States. We're more vulnerable. And therefore, we'll have to address this question of how to stop Iran, perhaps before the United States does," he said.
On September 2, 2012, the hawkish Israeli leader called on the international community to set a “clear red line” for Iran over its nuclear energy program.
The US and Israel have repeatedly threatened to take military action against Iran in order to force the Islamic Republic to halt its uranium enrichment program, which Washington and Tel Aviv claim includes a military component.
Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.
Hassan Rohani won an outright victory in Iran's June 14 presidential election, which was marked by a high voter turnout. He is expected to succeed outgoing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran's president on August 3.
Iran's President-elect Hassan Rohani has scoffed at Israeli saber rattling, saying Tel Aviv is in no position to act on its war threats against Tehran.
Addressing a gathering of war veterans on Tuesday in Tehran, Rohani said when it comes to Iran, the notion of all options being on the table is ridiculous.
The enemy is well aware that in case of a military action, Iran will stand up, more forcefully and bolder than its adversaries, he stressed.
Rohani made the remarks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated war threats against the Islamic Republic on Sunday, and urged world leaders to intensify sanctions against Iran.
Speaking on CBS News's Face the Nation, Netanyahu said Tehran is edging toward Israel’s “Red Line,” and threatened that Israel would unilaterally take a military action if Tehran does not give in to pressure.
“We’re closer than the United States. We're more vulnerable. And therefore, we'll have to address this question of how to stop Iran, perhaps before the United States does," he said.
On September 2, 2012, the hawkish Israeli leader called on the international community to set a “clear red line” for Iran over its nuclear energy program.
The US and Israel have repeatedly threatened to take military action against Iran in order to force the Islamic Republic to halt its uranium enrichment program, which Washington and Tel Aviv claim includes a military component.
Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.
Hassan Rohani won an outright victory in Iran's June 14 presidential election, which was marked by a high voter turnout. He is expected to succeed outgoing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran's president on August 3.
16 july 2013
Hassan Rowhani listens to a question during a press conference in Tehran
Iran on Tuesday accused arch-rival Israel of attempting to poison the mood against its moderate president-elect Hassan Rowhani, who has raised hope to end a dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called Rowhani "a wolf in sheep's clothing" who would "smile and build a bomb".
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, said Netanyahu was "angry" that Rowhani's June election had created "a positive atmosphere in the international community".
Netanyahu's remarks, he said, "is a sign of his regime's interference in Iran's relations with other countries, and a proof of its destructive role and attempt in damaging those relations".
Rowhani, an ex-nuclear negotiator who has held top state positions since the 1979 inception of the Islamic republic, is to take office from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on August 3.
Tensions between regional arch-foes Iran and Israel hit a strident high during Ahmadinejad's eight-year presidency, marked by his repeated controversial remarks regarding Israel including the denial of the Holocaust -- as Tehran dramatically expanded its nuclear program.
Iran says it seeks peaceful nuclear applications, rejecting Western suspicions that the program is aimed at military objectives, and brushing aside military threats by the United States and Israel against its work.
Netanyahu on Sunday renewed his threat to take unilateral military action, saying that Tehran's nuclear conduct was unlikely to change under Rowhani.
Iran in engaged in long-running but so-far fruitless negotiations with world powers aimed at resolving the nuclear standoff diplomatically.
Rowhani, 64, has promised to offer more transparency to resolve the nuclear issue, hoping to lift the sanctions which have left Iran's ailing economy in tatters.
Final decisions on Iran's nuclear drive rest with supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran on Tuesday accused arch-rival Israel of attempting to poison the mood against its moderate president-elect Hassan Rowhani, who has raised hope to end a dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called Rowhani "a wolf in sheep's clothing" who would "smile and build a bomb".
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, said Netanyahu was "angry" that Rowhani's June election had created "a positive atmosphere in the international community".
Netanyahu's remarks, he said, "is a sign of his regime's interference in Iran's relations with other countries, and a proof of its destructive role and attempt in damaging those relations".
Rowhani, an ex-nuclear negotiator who has held top state positions since the 1979 inception of the Islamic republic, is to take office from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on August 3.
Tensions between regional arch-foes Iran and Israel hit a strident high during Ahmadinejad's eight-year presidency, marked by his repeated controversial remarks regarding Israel including the denial of the Holocaust -- as Tehran dramatically expanded its nuclear program.
Iran says it seeks peaceful nuclear applications, rejecting Western suspicions that the program is aimed at military objectives, and brushing aside military threats by the United States and Israel against its work.
Netanyahu on Sunday renewed his threat to take unilateral military action, saying that Tehran's nuclear conduct was unlikely to change under Rowhani.
Iran in engaged in long-running but so-far fruitless negotiations with world powers aimed at resolving the nuclear standoff diplomatically.
Rowhani, 64, has promised to offer more transparency to resolve the nuclear issue, hoping to lift the sanctions which have left Iran's ailing economy in tatters.
Final decisions on Iran's nuclear drive rest with supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
15 july 2013
Iran is moving "closer and closer" to building a nuclear weapon and Israel may have to act before the United States does, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday.
"They're edging up to the red line. They haven't crossed it yet," Netanyahu said on CBS News's "Face the Nation."
"They're getting closer and closer to the bomb. And they have to be told in no uncertain terms that that will not be allowed to happen."
Netanyahu went on to say that Israel had a more narrow timetable than Washington, implying it may have to take unilateral action to halt Iran's controversial nuclear program.
"Our clocks are ticking at a different pace. We're closer than the United States. We're more vulnerable. And therefore, we'll have to address this question of how to stop Iran, perhaps before the United States does," he said.
Netanyahu said Tehran has been building "faster centrifuges that would enable them to jump the line, so to speak, at a much faster rate -- that is, within a few weeks."
Netanyahu said Iran's nuclear policies were unlikely to change under its next president, moderate cleric and former nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani, who will assume power on August 3.
"He's criticizing his predecessor (President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) for being a wolf in wolf's clothing. His strategy is be a wolf in sheep's clothing. Smile and build a bomb," Netanyahu said.
He urged the United States to make clear to Rowhani that it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, and that military force "is truly on the table."
"We've spoken many times, President Obama and I, about the need to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said.
"What is important is to convey to them -- especially after the election -- (is) that (the) policy will not change," he said.
"If sanctions don't work, they have to know that you'll be prepared to take military action -- that's the only thing that will get their attention," he added.
Iran for years has been at loggerheads with world powers over its nuclear drive, which Western nations believe is aimed at developing an atomic weapon capability.
Tehran insists its nuclear program is entirely peaceful, but the sanctions imposed over the standoff have isolated it internationally.
An Israeli official warned, meanwhile, that Iran could try and strike a deal ahead of a meeting Tuesday of six world power to discuss Tehran's nuclear drive.
Tehran could propose "a temporary cessation" of their uranium enrichment or even "possibly converting some of the 20 percent enriched uranium to a lower level" in return for a "partial lifting of sanctions," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"This is an insignificant and meaningless concession," he said, calling it "another example of the deliberate policy of the Iranian regime to deceive the international community".
"Israel will totally oppose such an Iranian idea, and we will reject all proposals that do not include the following: a complete cessation of all uranium enrichment; the removal from Iran of all enriched materials; the closure of the illicit underground facility in Qom; and the total cessation of work at the plutonium reactor," the official added.
Netanyahu declined to comment on reports that Israel had carried out air strikes on July 5 near the Syrian port city of Latakia to destroy Russian-supplied anti-ship missiles.
"Oh God, Every time something happens in the Middle East Israel is most often accused. And I'm not in the habit of saying what we did or we didn't do," he said.
"My policy is to prevent the transfer of dangerous weapons to Hezbollah and other terror groups," he said, referring to the Lebanese militant group fighting alongside Syrian government forces.
"They're edging up to the red line. They haven't crossed it yet," Netanyahu said on CBS News's "Face the Nation."
"They're getting closer and closer to the bomb. And they have to be told in no uncertain terms that that will not be allowed to happen."
Netanyahu went on to say that Israel had a more narrow timetable than Washington, implying it may have to take unilateral action to halt Iran's controversial nuclear program.
"Our clocks are ticking at a different pace. We're closer than the United States. We're more vulnerable. And therefore, we'll have to address this question of how to stop Iran, perhaps before the United States does," he said.
Netanyahu said Tehran has been building "faster centrifuges that would enable them to jump the line, so to speak, at a much faster rate -- that is, within a few weeks."
Netanyahu said Iran's nuclear policies were unlikely to change under its next president, moderate cleric and former nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani, who will assume power on August 3.
"He's criticizing his predecessor (President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) for being a wolf in wolf's clothing. His strategy is be a wolf in sheep's clothing. Smile and build a bomb," Netanyahu said.
He urged the United States to make clear to Rowhani that it will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon, and that military force "is truly on the table."
"We've spoken many times, President Obama and I, about the need to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said.
"What is important is to convey to them -- especially after the election -- (is) that (the) policy will not change," he said.
"If sanctions don't work, they have to know that you'll be prepared to take military action -- that's the only thing that will get their attention," he added.
Iran for years has been at loggerheads with world powers over its nuclear drive, which Western nations believe is aimed at developing an atomic weapon capability.
Tehran insists its nuclear program is entirely peaceful, but the sanctions imposed over the standoff have isolated it internationally.
An Israeli official warned, meanwhile, that Iran could try and strike a deal ahead of a meeting Tuesday of six world power to discuss Tehran's nuclear drive.
Tehran could propose "a temporary cessation" of their uranium enrichment or even "possibly converting some of the 20 percent enriched uranium to a lower level" in return for a "partial lifting of sanctions," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"This is an insignificant and meaningless concession," he said, calling it "another example of the deliberate policy of the Iranian regime to deceive the international community".
"Israel will totally oppose such an Iranian idea, and we will reject all proposals that do not include the following: a complete cessation of all uranium enrichment; the removal from Iran of all enriched materials; the closure of the illicit underground facility in Qom; and the total cessation of work at the plutonium reactor," the official added.
Netanyahu declined to comment on reports that Israel had carried out air strikes on July 5 near the Syrian port city of Latakia to destroy Russian-supplied anti-ship missiles.
"Oh God, Every time something happens in the Middle East Israel is most often accused. And I'm not in the habit of saying what we did or we didn't do," he said.
"My policy is to prevent the transfer of dangerous weapons to Hezbollah and other terror groups," he said, referring to the Lebanese militant group fighting alongside Syrian government forces.
12 july 2013
Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, on June 17, 2009
Exiled Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf has urged Tel Aviv not to attack arch-rival Iran over its nuclear programme, in a visit to Israel to promote his new film.
"I love you, but please do not attack Iran. It is not the solution, it would only aggravate the situation," the well-known director said at a news conference to promote his latest film, The Gardener, at the annual Jerusalem film festival.
Forced into exile following death threats, Makhmalbaf backs a "cultural" dialogue between arch-rivals Iran and Israel which both ban citizens from traveling to each other's country.
He said it is pointless to threaten to attack Iranian nuclear facilities, which Israeli officials do regularly.
Israel, believed to be the sole albeit undeclared nuclear weapons power in the Middle East, has not ruled out military strikes targeting Iran's atomic sites to stop its controversial nuclear program.
Israel and much of the West suspects Tehran wants to make atomic weapons, a charge it strongly denies.
"It's better to help the Iranian democratic forces," Makhmalbaf said, insisting that an aggressive approach would fail.
"After more than 60 years, you (Israelis) still have not found a solution with the Palestinians because politicians on both sides are immature, they did not comprehend that the root of the conflict lies in the culture and religion."
Makhmalbaf's fictional docu-drama is shot in northern Israel's Haifa in the famous gardens of the Bahai World Center, a pilgrimage site for the Bahai community which is persecuted in Iran.
The Bahai religion was founded in Iran in the 19th century and is anathema to the Islamic clerical regime.
The film revolves around a native gardener and other members of the Bahai community and also focuses on a dialogue between a father and his son.
"I am not religious, but it's impossible to dismiss the religious factor... and just look at the problems with a secular vision," he said.
"I chose Bahai as it has a tolerant and non-violent approach that can be an example to other established religions."
Born in Tehran 56 years ago, the maker of 20 films took part in the demonstrations against the shah of Iran which saw him arrested at the age of 17 and spending more than four years in prison.
After the 1979 Islamic revolution he was able to concentrate on cinema, but his approach and attempts to prevent censorship angered the new authorities.
Makhmalbaf was forced into exile in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, where he remained underground, before moving to Paris for four years. He now lives in London.
"On many occasions the Iranian authorities sent killers after me. I narrowly escaped a grenade attack in Afghanistan. In Paris I lived 24 hours with 24 bodyguards," he said.
All of his films and 30 books are banned in Iran, but his movies do find their way in through black market DVDs, satellite television or YouTube.
"After my visit to Israel, I'll probably face a campaign accusing me of being a Mossad or CIA agent," he said of the Israeli and US intelligence services.
Makhmalbaf, who supported reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi in the disputed 2009 Iranian presidential election which saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected, called last month's election of moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani "very limited progress".
Exiled Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf has urged Tel Aviv not to attack arch-rival Iran over its nuclear programme, in a visit to Israel to promote his new film.
"I love you, but please do not attack Iran. It is not the solution, it would only aggravate the situation," the well-known director said at a news conference to promote his latest film, The Gardener, at the annual Jerusalem film festival.
Forced into exile following death threats, Makhmalbaf backs a "cultural" dialogue between arch-rivals Iran and Israel which both ban citizens from traveling to each other's country.
He said it is pointless to threaten to attack Iranian nuclear facilities, which Israeli officials do regularly.
Israel, believed to be the sole albeit undeclared nuclear weapons power in the Middle East, has not ruled out military strikes targeting Iran's atomic sites to stop its controversial nuclear program.
Israel and much of the West suspects Tehran wants to make atomic weapons, a charge it strongly denies.
"It's better to help the Iranian democratic forces," Makhmalbaf said, insisting that an aggressive approach would fail.
"After more than 60 years, you (Israelis) still have not found a solution with the Palestinians because politicians on both sides are immature, they did not comprehend that the root of the conflict lies in the culture and religion."
Makhmalbaf's fictional docu-drama is shot in northern Israel's Haifa in the famous gardens of the Bahai World Center, a pilgrimage site for the Bahai community which is persecuted in Iran.
The Bahai religion was founded in Iran in the 19th century and is anathema to the Islamic clerical regime.
The film revolves around a native gardener and other members of the Bahai community and also focuses on a dialogue between a father and his son.
"I am not religious, but it's impossible to dismiss the religious factor... and just look at the problems with a secular vision," he said.
"I chose Bahai as it has a tolerant and non-violent approach that can be an example to other established religions."
Born in Tehran 56 years ago, the maker of 20 films took part in the demonstrations against the shah of Iran which saw him arrested at the age of 17 and spending more than four years in prison.
After the 1979 Islamic revolution he was able to concentrate on cinema, but his approach and attempts to prevent censorship angered the new authorities.
Makhmalbaf was forced into exile in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, where he remained underground, before moving to Paris for four years. He now lives in London.
"On many occasions the Iranian authorities sent killers after me. I narrowly escaped a grenade attack in Afghanistan. In Paris I lived 24 hours with 24 bodyguards," he said.
All of his films and 30 books are banned in Iran, but his movies do find their way in through black market DVDs, satellite television or YouTube.
"After my visit to Israel, I'll probably face a campaign accusing me of being a Mossad or CIA agent," he said of the Israeli and US intelligence services.
Makhmalbaf, who supported reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi in the disputed 2009 Iranian presidential election which saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected, called last month's election of moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani "very limited progress".
10 july 2013
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US surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden
Fugitive US surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden says the United States and Israel created the Stuxnet computer virus to sabotage Iran’s nuclear energy program. In an interview with the German weekly Der Spiegel published on Monday, Snowden, who has been holed up in a Moscow airport since June, said the US National Security Agency and Israel “co-wrote” the malware to infiltrate Iran’s nuclear facility networks in 2009 and 2010. The whistleblower said that the virus was used to change the speed of thousands of gas-spinning centrifuges. |
Snowden said that the NSA has a “massive body” called the Foreign Affairs Directorate, through which it cooperates with other entities like Israel on security matters.
Earlier in March 2013, a research by a group of independent legal experts at the request of NATO described the cyber attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities as an “act of force.”
“Acts that kill or injure persons or destroy or damage objects are unambiguously uses of force” and likely violate international law, the research read.
Iranian experts detected and neutralized the malware in time, averting any extensive damage to the country's industrial sites and resources.
In June 2012, The New York Times revealed that US President Barack Obama had secretly ordered the cyber attack with the Stuxnet computer virus.
In addition, a report published by the Washington Post in the same month said that the US and Israel had jointly created the computer virus Flame -- a Stuxnet-like espionage malware -- to spy on Iran.
The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program and have used the unfounded accusation as a pretext to impose illegal sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.
Earlier in March 2013, a research by a group of independent legal experts at the request of NATO described the cyber attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities as an “act of force.”
“Acts that kill or injure persons or destroy or damage objects are unambiguously uses of force” and likely violate international law, the research read.
Iranian experts detected and neutralized the malware in time, averting any extensive damage to the country's industrial sites and resources.
In June 2012, The New York Times revealed that US President Barack Obama had secretly ordered the cyber attack with the Stuxnet computer virus.
In addition, a report published by the Washington Post in the same month said that the US and Israel had jointly created the computer virus Flame -- a Stuxnet-like espionage malware -- to spy on Iran.
The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program and have used the unfounded accusation as a pretext to impose illegal sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.
2 july 2013
Rigid new US sanctions against Iran came into force Monday, including bans on the sale or barter of gold to the Islamic republic, as Washington ratchets up efforts to isolate the country over its nuclear program.
Turkey is believed to conduct extensive business with Iran using gold, and US lawmakers suspect it of importing Iranian natural gas and paying for the energy with the metal to circumvent existing restrictions on financial transactions with Tehran.
For years, the US and the international community have imposed an arsenal of sanctions against Iran, accusing it of using its civilian nuclear energy program as a cover for attempts to build atomic weapons -- charges Tehran denies.
US President Barack Obama last July targeted Iran's oil export sector, vowing punishment against firms that circumvented restrictions on the financial dealings.
Lawmakers saw the enforcement measures as lagging, and last December passed the sanctions that went into effect Monday.
"Congress is going to definitely hold the administration's feet to the fire on enforcement," Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told AFP.
In practice, gold sales by any person or group to an Iranian government entity or private citizen can now trigger sanctions against the seller.
In May, Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen suggested to Congress that Turkey did not provide gold in direct exchange for Iranian natural gas, but reserved his details on the matter for a closed-door hearing with lawmakers.
He also stressed the sanctions would be carried out "without fear or favor."
"We have been clear that that July 1st date is a real date and that after July 1st, any sale of gold to Iran is something that we will pursue vigorously," he said.
The legislation also imposes penalties on any person or organization that conducts business related to Iran's energy, shipping and shipbuilding sectors, industries which the United States links to Iran's nuclear program.
And it also includes the lucrative automobile sector, after Obama signed an executive order on June 3 adding the industry to the sanctions regime.
Many Iranian firms linked to the leadership and its Revolutionary Guards were already subject to US, European or UN sanctions.
The new measures extend to the totality of the Iran sectors, punishing groups that do business with any Iranian firm in the named industries, rather than just with specific companies identified by Washington.
"By really blacklisting the Iranian economy and targeting gold, they're really sending a message out to the international business community; there are very few areas of the Iranian economy where you can legally do business," Dubowitz said.
Meanwhile Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said the sanctions are not aimed at hurting the Iranian people but to "change their decision" about pursuing a nuclear program.
Lew hoped the sanctions would work, he said Sunday at a conference in Aspen, Colorado, because "the alternatives are worse."
Turkey is believed to conduct extensive business with Iran using gold, and US lawmakers suspect it of importing Iranian natural gas and paying for the energy with the metal to circumvent existing restrictions on financial transactions with Tehran.
For years, the US and the international community have imposed an arsenal of sanctions against Iran, accusing it of using its civilian nuclear energy program as a cover for attempts to build atomic weapons -- charges Tehran denies.
US President Barack Obama last July targeted Iran's oil export sector, vowing punishment against firms that circumvented restrictions on the financial dealings.
Lawmakers saw the enforcement measures as lagging, and last December passed the sanctions that went into effect Monday.
"Congress is going to definitely hold the administration's feet to the fire on enforcement," Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told AFP.
In practice, gold sales by any person or group to an Iranian government entity or private citizen can now trigger sanctions against the seller.
In May, Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen suggested to Congress that Turkey did not provide gold in direct exchange for Iranian natural gas, but reserved his details on the matter for a closed-door hearing with lawmakers.
He also stressed the sanctions would be carried out "without fear or favor."
"We have been clear that that July 1st date is a real date and that after July 1st, any sale of gold to Iran is something that we will pursue vigorously," he said.
The legislation also imposes penalties on any person or organization that conducts business related to Iran's energy, shipping and shipbuilding sectors, industries which the United States links to Iran's nuclear program.
And it also includes the lucrative automobile sector, after Obama signed an executive order on June 3 adding the industry to the sanctions regime.
Many Iranian firms linked to the leadership and its Revolutionary Guards were already subject to US, European or UN sanctions.
The new measures extend to the totality of the Iran sectors, punishing groups that do business with any Iranian firm in the named industries, rather than just with specific companies identified by Washington.
"By really blacklisting the Iranian economy and targeting gold, they're really sending a message out to the international business community; there are very few areas of the Iranian economy where you can legally do business," Dubowitz said.
Meanwhile Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said the sanctions are not aimed at hurting the Iranian people but to "change their decision" about pursuing a nuclear program.
Lew hoped the sanctions would work, he said Sunday at a conference in Aspen, Colorado, because "the alternatives are worse."
21 june 2013
Europe must take a firmer line with Iran over its controversial nuclear program, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday at the start of a working meeting with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
"We need to exert pressure on them. We're not talking about political spin but about the spinning of centrifuges," he said in remarks communicated by his office.
"It must stop and I think it is up to Europe to join the United States and Israel and all the other elements in the international community in demanding a halt to Iran's nuclear program," he said in what appeared to be a rebuke.
Ashton's visit comes just six days after the election of moderate Hassan Rowhani as Iran's new president in what analysts have said could soothe tensions with the West over Tehran's nuclear program.
But Israel has refused to be mollified, with Netanyahu earlier this week warning the world not to "be tempted to ease pressure on Iran."
In response, Ashton acknowledged the importance of consulting with Netanyahu about the situation in Iran after the elections, the premier's office said.
"The real test regarding the elections in Iran will be if Iran changes its policy and stops enriching uranium, removes the nuclear material and closes the illegal nuclear facility at Qom," Netanyahu said.
Speaking later on Thursday, Netanyahu said the greatest threat facing Israel "is that the most dangerous weapons in the world fall into the hands of the most dangerous regimes in the world - especially one regime.
"We cannot allow Iran to achieve nuclear weapons," he said at the closing panel of Shimon Peres's Presidential Conference.
"The test is not what they say, but what they do," he continued, and called on the international community to "keep up the pressure and keep to those demands."
Iran has been slapped with successive rounds of UN Security Council sanctions and also unilateral measures by the European Union and the United States.
The sanctions initially only targeted the nuclear and defense industries but then started to hurt the wider economy, causing concern among ordinary Iranians and even the leadership.
Netanyahu also took the opportunity to reiterate that only if Palestinians accepted a Jewish state and the "right of the Jews to live in their ancient homeland as a sovereign people" would a peace agreement be possible.
Earlier in his remarks to Ashton, Netanyahu also urged Europe to take steps to add Lebanon's Hezbollah movement to its list of international terrorist groups.
"I hope that elements in Europe who refuse to declare Hezbollah to be a terror organization will change their minds and I hope there will be a European consensus on that," he said, describing such a move as "the right thing to do."
So far, the 27-nation bloc has failed to reach agreement on whether to blacklist the Shiite militia, which would subject the group to an asset freeze, with experts meeting on the issue in Brussels on Wednesday.
Britain is openly in favor, but France and Italy are reluctant, fearing a negative impact on Lebanon where Hezbollah is the leading political group, and a possible backlash against the UN peacekeeping force in the south of the country.
Netanyahu and Ashton were also to discuss US peace efforts in a meeting which comes the day after she met President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
Netanyahu said that a renewal of direct negotiations without pre-conditions was "the right thing to do" and insisted on Israel's willingness to start immediately. "I hope that President Abbas is also ready," he said.
Direct talks broke down just weeks after they were started in September 2010 in a dispute over settlements.
A Palestinian demand that Israel freeze settlement construction and accept the 1967 lines as the basis for negotiations before resuming direct talks has been rejected by Israel as an unacceptable "pre-condition."
US Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrives in the region next week for his fifth visit since February, has been locked in an intensive bout of shuttle diplomacy in the hope of achieving a breakthrough, although there is no evidence of such so far.
"We need to exert pressure on them. We're not talking about political spin but about the spinning of centrifuges," he said in remarks communicated by his office.
"It must stop and I think it is up to Europe to join the United States and Israel and all the other elements in the international community in demanding a halt to Iran's nuclear program," he said in what appeared to be a rebuke.
Ashton's visit comes just six days after the election of moderate Hassan Rowhani as Iran's new president in what analysts have said could soothe tensions with the West over Tehran's nuclear program.
But Israel has refused to be mollified, with Netanyahu earlier this week warning the world not to "be tempted to ease pressure on Iran."
In response, Ashton acknowledged the importance of consulting with Netanyahu about the situation in Iran after the elections, the premier's office said.
"The real test regarding the elections in Iran will be if Iran changes its policy and stops enriching uranium, removes the nuclear material and closes the illegal nuclear facility at Qom," Netanyahu said.
Speaking later on Thursday, Netanyahu said the greatest threat facing Israel "is that the most dangerous weapons in the world fall into the hands of the most dangerous regimes in the world - especially one regime.
"We cannot allow Iran to achieve nuclear weapons," he said at the closing panel of Shimon Peres's Presidential Conference.
"The test is not what they say, but what they do," he continued, and called on the international community to "keep up the pressure and keep to those demands."
Iran has been slapped with successive rounds of UN Security Council sanctions and also unilateral measures by the European Union and the United States.
The sanctions initially only targeted the nuclear and defense industries but then started to hurt the wider economy, causing concern among ordinary Iranians and even the leadership.
Netanyahu also took the opportunity to reiterate that only if Palestinians accepted a Jewish state and the "right of the Jews to live in their ancient homeland as a sovereign people" would a peace agreement be possible.
Earlier in his remarks to Ashton, Netanyahu also urged Europe to take steps to add Lebanon's Hezbollah movement to its list of international terrorist groups.
"I hope that elements in Europe who refuse to declare Hezbollah to be a terror organization will change their minds and I hope there will be a European consensus on that," he said, describing such a move as "the right thing to do."
So far, the 27-nation bloc has failed to reach agreement on whether to blacklist the Shiite militia, which would subject the group to an asset freeze, with experts meeting on the issue in Brussels on Wednesday.
Britain is openly in favor, but France and Italy are reluctant, fearing a negative impact on Lebanon where Hezbollah is the leading political group, and a possible backlash against the UN peacekeeping force in the south of the country.
Netanyahu and Ashton were also to discuss US peace efforts in a meeting which comes the day after she met President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
Netanyahu said that a renewal of direct negotiations without pre-conditions was "the right thing to do" and insisted on Israel's willingness to start immediately. "I hope that President Abbas is also ready," he said.
Direct talks broke down just weeks after they were started in September 2010 in a dispute over settlements.
A Palestinian demand that Israel freeze settlement construction and accept the 1967 lines as the basis for negotiations before resuming direct talks has been rejected by Israel as an unacceptable "pre-condition."
US Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrives in the region next week for his fifth visit since February, has been locked in an intensive bout of shuttle diplomacy in the hope of achieving a breakthrough, although there is no evidence of such so far.
12 june 2013
Principlist presidential candidate Saeed Jalili addresses a group of his supporters in the northern city of Gorgan on June 11, 2013
Principlist presidential candidate Saeed Jalili says the Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to pay the price for supporting the Palestinian nation and the legitimate cause of Palestine.
Addressing a group of his supporters in the northern city of Gorgan on Tuesday evening, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council said there might not be even one Shia Muslim in Palestine, but Iran is still ready to support Palestinians and their struggle for freedom and self-determination.
The chief nuclear negotiator said if he wins the June 14 presidential election, he will make good on his campaign promises, which include improving public welfare and following in the footsteps of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Jalili is facing five rivals including President of the Expediency Council’s Center for Strategic Research Hassan Rohani, Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi.
The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election. Nearly 50.5 million Iranians are eligible to vote in the upcoming presidential.
Principlist presidential candidate Saeed Jalili says the Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to pay the price for supporting the Palestinian nation and the legitimate cause of Palestine.
Addressing a group of his supporters in the northern city of Gorgan on Tuesday evening, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council said there might not be even one Shia Muslim in Palestine, but Iran is still ready to support Palestinians and their struggle for freedom and self-determination.
The chief nuclear negotiator said if he wins the June 14 presidential election, he will make good on his campaign promises, which include improving public welfare and following in the footsteps of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Jalili is facing five rivals including President of the Expediency Council’s Center for Strategic Research Hassan Rohani, Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi.
The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election. Nearly 50.5 million Iranians are eligible to vote in the upcoming presidential.
A photo of the main container of Arak’s heavy-water nuclear reactor
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman says operations at the country's Arak heavy-water reactor is under the constant monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“The 40-megawatt Arak heavy-water reactor is not a confidential and secret issue, and is under the constant supervision of the IAEA,” Abbas Araqchi said in his weekly press conference on Tuesday.
The Iranian official also said that Tehran has provided the IAEA with necessary information on the nuclear reactor, which is located in the Iranian city of Arak.
He said the Arak reactor will gradually replace Tehran’s research reactor and will produce medical radioisotopes for about one million cancer patients.
Earlier on June 9, Iran installed the main container of the reactor, which uses natural uranium to produce radio medicine.
During a meeting on Iran’s nuclear energy program in Vienna on June 6, the IAEA accused Tehran of building the Arak reactor with a design not previously approved by the Agency.
Iran’s IAEA Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh, however, rejected the accusation, arguing that the Arak reactor is visited by international inspectors every three months and that the facility produces radioactive isotopes for medical purposes.
Iran has repeatedly voiced its willingness to cooperate with the IAEA under a clear framework.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman says operations at the country's Arak heavy-water reactor is under the constant monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“The 40-megawatt Arak heavy-water reactor is not a confidential and secret issue, and is under the constant supervision of the IAEA,” Abbas Araqchi said in his weekly press conference on Tuesday.
The Iranian official also said that Tehran has provided the IAEA with necessary information on the nuclear reactor, which is located in the Iranian city of Arak.
He said the Arak reactor will gradually replace Tehran’s research reactor and will produce medical radioisotopes for about one million cancer patients.
Earlier on June 9, Iran installed the main container of the reactor, which uses natural uranium to produce radio medicine.
During a meeting on Iran’s nuclear energy program in Vienna on June 6, the IAEA accused Tehran of building the Arak reactor with a design not previously approved by the Agency.
Iran’s IAEA Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh, however, rejected the accusation, arguing that the Arak reactor is visited by international inspectors every three months and that the facility produces radioactive isotopes for medical purposes.
Iran has repeatedly voiced its willingness to cooperate with the IAEA under a clear framework.
23 may 2013
House Committee passes legislation seeking to further curb Iran's oil exports, limit Tehran's access to overseas foreign currency reserves. Sen. Graham: This is a chance for US to say, we also have Israel's back
A new push to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions by crippling the country's economy gathered momentum in Congress Wednesday with approval of legislation by the House Foreign Affairs Committee that would impose even tougher economic sanctions against Tehran.
And the Senate resolved that the United States should support Israel if it is forced to take military action to defend itself from an Iranian nuclear threat.
The US and other world powers fear Iran's production and stockpiling of uranium enrichment is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its work is for peaceful purposes.
The House bill seeks to further curb Iran's oil exports, limit Tehran's access to overseas foreign currency reserves, and expand the list of blacklisted Iranian companies. Congress has slapped penalties on Iran four times since June 2010.
The committee's Nuclear Iran Prevention Act seeks to close any loopholes in existing sanctions and increase the pressure on Iran's leaders to give up their nuclear program.
Also on Wednesday, the Senate passed a non-binding resolution stating that, if Israel takes military action against Iran in a legitimate act of self-defense against Iran's nuclear weapons threat, the United States should provide military, diplomatic and economic support to Israel.
"This is a chance for the United States Senate to say, we also have Israel's back. And from my point of view, you can't separate the threat that the nuclear program in Iran creates from the United States and Israel," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican sponsor of the resolution with Sen. Robert Menendez, a Democrat. The measure, passed 99-0, also supports the full implementation of US and international sanctions on Iran and urges the president to continue to strengthen enforcement of sanctions.
A new push to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions by crippling the country's economy gathered momentum in Congress Wednesday with approval of legislation by the House Foreign Affairs Committee that would impose even tougher economic sanctions against Tehran.
And the Senate resolved that the United States should support Israel if it is forced to take military action to defend itself from an Iranian nuclear threat.
The US and other world powers fear Iran's production and stockpiling of uranium enrichment is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its work is for peaceful purposes.
The House bill seeks to further curb Iran's oil exports, limit Tehran's access to overseas foreign currency reserves, and expand the list of blacklisted Iranian companies. Congress has slapped penalties on Iran four times since June 2010.
The committee's Nuclear Iran Prevention Act seeks to close any loopholes in existing sanctions and increase the pressure on Iran's leaders to give up their nuclear program.
Also on Wednesday, the Senate passed a non-binding resolution stating that, if Israel takes military action against Iran in a legitimate act of self-defense against Iran's nuclear weapons threat, the United States should provide military, diplomatic and economic support to Israel.
"This is a chance for the United States Senate to say, we also have Israel's back. And from my point of view, you can't separate the threat that the nuclear program in Iran creates from the United States and Israel," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican sponsor of the resolution with Sen. Robert Menendez, a Democrat. The measure, passed 99-0, also supports the full implementation of US and international sanctions on Iran and urges the president to continue to strengthen enforcement of sanctions.
Peace between Israel and the Palestinians is a "priority," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on a visit to the region Thursday, as he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"The Middle East peace process is ... an urgent priority for the United Kingdom and to the world," he told reporters ahead of a meeting with Netanyahu.
"We welcome the very strong commitment (to reviving peace talks) shown by (US) President (Barack) Obama on his recent visit here, and by Secretary (of State John) Kerry, who is here again," Hague said.
"My visit is in support of those efforts," he said. "We urge all parties to move the process forward and to really give the bold and decisive leadership that will allow success," he stressed, adding that peace was "necessary and just and possible."
Kerry was also in Jerusalem on Thursday on his fourth visit to the region since taking office in February, to push for a revival of a peace process that broke down in September 2010.
He was meeting Palestinian leaders in Ramallah in the West Bank on Thursday afternoon, and Hague was to follow suit by delivering a speech there and meeting President Mahmoud Abbas.
Hague and Netanyahu would also discuss the Iranian nuclear program and the war in Syria, the two men added in separate statements, hailing Britain and Israel's "strategic" cooperation.
Hague spoke of Britain's "very strong concerns ... about the nuclear program of Iran. We pursue ... sanctions and negotiations, but nobody should doubt our resolve in these matters."
Netanyahu described Iran's atomic drive as "the biggest challenge of our time."
The Israeli premier also expressed his condolences for the "horrific terrorist attack against a British citizen in London," a reference to the murder of a soldier there on Wednesday.
"We sympathize deeply."
"The Middle East peace process is ... an urgent priority for the United Kingdom and to the world," he told reporters ahead of a meeting with Netanyahu.
"We welcome the very strong commitment (to reviving peace talks) shown by (US) President (Barack) Obama on his recent visit here, and by Secretary (of State John) Kerry, who is here again," Hague said.
"My visit is in support of those efforts," he said. "We urge all parties to move the process forward and to really give the bold and decisive leadership that will allow success," he stressed, adding that peace was "necessary and just and possible."
Kerry was also in Jerusalem on Thursday on his fourth visit to the region since taking office in February, to push for a revival of a peace process that broke down in September 2010.
He was meeting Palestinian leaders in Ramallah in the West Bank on Thursday afternoon, and Hague was to follow suit by delivering a speech there and meeting President Mahmoud Abbas.
Hague and Netanyahu would also discuss the Iranian nuclear program and the war in Syria, the two men added in separate statements, hailing Britain and Israel's "strategic" cooperation.
Hague spoke of Britain's "very strong concerns ... about the nuclear program of Iran. We pursue ... sanctions and negotiations, but nobody should doubt our resolve in these matters."
Netanyahu described Iran's atomic drive as "the biggest challenge of our time."
The Israeli premier also expressed his condolences for the "horrific terrorist attack against a British citizen in London," a reference to the murder of a soldier there on Wednesday.
"We sympathize deeply."
22 may 2013
IAEA: Iran speeds up installation of nuclear equipment
Iran has accelerated the installation of advanced nuclear machines at its Natanz plant in the last three months, the UN atomic agency said in a report Wednesday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran has installed at Natanz almost 700 IR-2m centrifuges and empty casings, used to enrich uranium, compared with 180 in February.
Iran has accelerated the installation of advanced nuclear machines at its Natanz plant in the last three months, the UN atomic agency said in a report Wednesday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran has installed at Natanz almost 700 IR-2m centrifuges and empty casings, used to enrich uranium, compared with 180 in February.
1 may 2013
Palestinian Fatah movement calls for stronger ties with Iran
Deputy Secretary of the Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rajoub has called for stronger ties between Iran and the Palestinian Fatah movement.
Rajoub made the remarks in a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
The senior Fatah official expressed hope that Palestinians would witness the liberation of all Palestinian lands with the continuous support of the Islamic Republic and other supporters of Palestine.
Commenting on the Syrian unrest, Rajoub said diplomacy is the only solution to the crisis in the Arab country.
He described Syria as the most important front against Israel, and expressed hope that the unrest in Syria would be settled soon.
The Iranian ambassador, for his part, reiterated the Islamic Republic’s full support for the Palestinian cause and resistance.
Iran’s unwavering support for the Palestinian resistance against the Zionist regime of Israel has always been underlined by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Roknabadi concluded.
Rajoub made the remarks in a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
The senior Fatah official expressed hope that Palestinians would witness the liberation of all Palestinian lands with the continuous support of the Islamic Republic and other supporters of Palestine.
Commenting on the Syrian unrest, Rajoub said diplomacy is the only solution to the crisis in the Arab country.
He described Syria as the most important front against Israel, and expressed hope that the unrest in Syria would be settled soon.
The Iranian ambassador, for his part, reiterated the Islamic Republic’s full support for the Palestinian cause and resistance.
Iran’s unwavering support for the Palestinian resistance against the Zionist regime of Israel has always been underlined by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Roknabadi concluded.
30 apr 2013
British Zionists urge UK, EU to blacklist Iran’s IRGC
Britain’s Zionist Federation has launched a campaign calling on the UK government and its European allies to add Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to their terror list.
The IRGC, which was formed by the late Imam Khomeini after the victory of Islamic Revolution in 1979, is internationally popular for its expertise in defending the ideals of the Revolution.
The IRGC’s growing and modern capabilities to defend Iran’s territorial integrity have made Zionist regime and its western allies furious.
For the same reason, Zionist regime’s patrons in the UK are pushing their respective governments to impose unilateral sanctions against Iran’s security forces on the pretext that the force is defending the Islamic Revolution.
Zionist Federation of Britain, which is a staunch supporter of Israeli regime’s atrocities in the occupied Palestinian territories, has demanded that the EU and UK blacklist an official force of a sovereign country on unfounded, baseless allegation of posing a threat to international security.
This is while that Iran’s IRGC forces have been engaged in various humanitarian operations both domestically and internationally whenever they have been required in cases of killer quakes, storms and other humanitarian catastrophes.
The British Zionists have always endorsed the Zionist regime’s pro-terrorist stance vis-à-vis Palestinians in the occupied territories.
The IRGC, which was formed by the late Imam Khomeini after the victory of Islamic Revolution in 1979, is internationally popular for its expertise in defending the ideals of the Revolution.
The IRGC’s growing and modern capabilities to defend Iran’s territorial integrity have made Zionist regime and its western allies furious.
For the same reason, Zionist regime’s patrons in the UK are pushing their respective governments to impose unilateral sanctions against Iran’s security forces on the pretext that the force is defending the Islamic Revolution.
Zionist Federation of Britain, which is a staunch supporter of Israeli regime’s atrocities in the occupied Palestinian territories, has demanded that the EU and UK blacklist an official force of a sovereign country on unfounded, baseless allegation of posing a threat to international security.
This is while that Iran’s IRGC forces have been engaged in various humanitarian operations both domestically and internationally whenever they have been required in cases of killer quakes, storms and other humanitarian catastrophes.
The British Zionists have always endorsed the Zionist regime’s pro-terrorist stance vis-à-vis Palestinians in the occupied territories.
