Putin: Iran doesn't want nuclear arms

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he is convinced Iran is not seeking to develop nuclear weapons and announced plans to visit the country, showing strong support for Tehran a week before a summit with President Bush.

Putin's bold expression of faith in Tehran starkly contradicts U.S. suspicions about the intentions of Iran, which Bush has labeled part of an "axis of evil" seeking weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorists.

"The latest steps from Iran confirm that Iran does not intend to produce nuclear weapons," Putin said at a meeting with Iranian National Security Council chief Hassan Rowhani. He said Russia "will continue to develop relations in all spheres, including the peaceful use of nuclear energy."

Russia is building a nuclear reactor for a power plant in Iran, a project the United States fears could be used to help Tehran develop nuclear weapons.

The $800 million project has harmed Russian-U.S. relations for more than a decade. American concerns have been eased by Moscow's refusal to send Iran nuclear fuel for the reactor unless all spent fuel is returned to Russia — an effort to ensure that it wouldn't be reprocessed to extract plutonium, which could be used in weapons.

Russia's nuclear chief is expected in Iran next week to sign a protocol on returning the spent fuel, the only remaining obstacle to the reactor's expected launch next year.

Putin, who will meet with Bush on Feb. 24 in Slovakia, said he had accepted an invitation from Iran's leadership to visit. The Kremlin said no date has been set.

The Russian president's words are bound to alarm U.S. officials who have praised earlier statements which indicated he shared American concerns about Iran's nuclear program.

On Monday, a senior U.S. diplomat said Russia had "seen the light" in agreeing that Iran's claims cannot be taken on faith because of the way it has misled the international community about its nuclear program in the past.

"There are good reasons to be suspicious of what Iran is doing," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told a news conference in Washington on Friday.

Rice has warned Iran to come clean or face the prospect of being brought before the U.N. Security Council.

A Russian analyst questioned whether Putin's statement was based on actual information or on expediency. Russia has friendly ties with Iran and sees it as an important trade market for its industrial goods and services.

"To my mind, it's hard to find arguments to support Putin's declaration," said Anton Khlopkov, director of the PIR Center, which studies weapons issues. He said that "Iran is potentially an important strategic partner for Russia … (with) a whole series of coinciding interests."

At the Kremlin meeting, Putin did say that the "spread of nuclear weapons on the planet does not aid security."

"We hope that Iran will strictly adhere to all international agreements, in relation to Russia and the international community," he said.

Rowhani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, said that "now, no one can doubt that Iran's nuclear program has a peaceful character."

Russia does not want the issue to come before the Security Council, where support for a resolution against Tehran could ruin relations with Iran while a veto would bluntly defy the United States.

"Russia intends not to allow the isolation of Iran," Khlopkov said.

With Security Council referral and Washington's refusal to rule out military action in Iran looming in the background, Russia is supporting European diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to permanently abandon its uranium enrichment program.

"We think that Russia can play an important role in this process," Rowhani said.

Iran has warned it will resume all nuclear activities it has suspended if talks don't make progress by mid-March.

Russia will keep ties with Iran, Moscow to continue supporting Tehran’s nuclear program

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow will continue its nuclear cooperation with Iran and that he is convinced Tehran does not intend to develop atomic weapons.

Iran’s nuclear program is likely to be one of the top issues when Putin and President Bush meet Thursday in Slovakia.

Moscow has helped Iran build a nuclear reactor, and the United States fears it could be used to help Tehran develop atomic weapons.

“The spread of nuclear weapons on the planet does not aid security, it does not strengthen security. The latest steps from Iran confirm that Iran does not intend to produce nuclear weapons and we will continue to develop relations in all spheres, including the peaceful use of nuclear energy,” Putin said at a meeting with Iranian National Security Council chief Hassan Rowhani.

Putin’s statement indicated that the chance of agreement with Washington on Iran is minimal.

He said Iran’s leadership had invited him to visit, and he accepted. Russian news agencies said that no date has been set.

A Russian analyst questioned whether Putin’s statement was based on actual information or on expediency. “To my mind, it’s hard to find arguments to support Putin’s declaration,” said Anton Khlopkov, director of the PIR Center, which studies weapons issues. He said “Iran is potentially an important strategic partner for Russia ... (with) a whole series of coinciding interests.”

Russia’s nuclear chief is expected in Iran next week to sign a protocol on returning spent nuclear fuel to Russia, the only remaining obstacle to the launch of the Russian-built reactor. If the signing goes ahead as planned Feb. 26, it would pave the way for the deliveries of Russian nuclear fuel for the Bushehr reactor, which is set to begin operating in early 2006.

The protocol is aimed at reducing concerns that Iran could reprocess spent nuclear fuel from the $800 million Bushehr reactor to extract plutonium, which could be used in nuclear weapons. Moscow says that having Iran ship spent nuclear fuel back to Russia, along with international monitoring, will make any such project impossible.


BUSH TO BACK ISRAEL AGAINST IRAN THREAT; War an option … not first choice

BRUSSELS (Agencies): US Presi-dent George W. Bush does not rule out military action against Iran but prefers a diplomatic solution, he said Friday in an interview with Belgian television. “You never want a president to say never. But military action is... never the president’s first choice,” he said, adding: “Diplomacy is always the president’s first choice, at least my first choice.” Iran’s alleged attempts to build nuclear weapons are expected to be a key topic when Bush meets European leaders here during EU-US and Nato leaders’ summits on Tuesday. Britain, France and Germany have been spearheading diplomatic efforts to get Iran to abandon processes which could be used to make nuclear weapons, while top US officials have brandished the threat of force if diplomacy fails. Bush insisted that the United States and its European partners had a “common mission.”

“We have a common goal Iran should not have a nuclear weapon, that’s what we have said, America’s said, the Brits have said, the French have said, the Germans have said when they send their foreign ministers in to talk with the Iranians,” he said. “There’s a common mission. And I look forward to kinda making sure that we speak in a lone voice,” he added. Bush said on Friday that Iran is trying to use the United States’ refusal to join European talks over Tehran’s nuclear program as an excuse for not giving up uranium enrichment. He stressed that the United States preferred diplomacy and did not want to use military action against Iran over the nuclear question. “What they’re trying to do is kind of wiggle out. They’re trying to say, ‘Well, we won’t do anything because America is not involved.’ Well, America is involved. We’re in close consultation with our friends,” Bush said.

He was speaking to Germany’s ARD television, one of a series of interviews he gave on Friday preparing for his trip to Belgium, Germany and Slovakia next week. The United States has rejected European calls for the Bush administration to bolster the EU’s leverage by getting involved in the bargaining and offering incentives of its own for Iran to end uranium enrichment activities. Washington wants Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions — which Tehran denies having — and comply with International Atomic Energy Agency obligations, stop support for terrorism and allow democratic reforms. In the ARD interview, Bush insisted that he wants a peaceful, diplomatic solution to the problem and said any talk of a military attack is “just not the truth.” “We want diplomacy to work, and I believe diplomacy can work so long as the Iranians don’t divide Europe and the United States. And the common goal is for them not to have a nuclear weapon,” Bush told Belgium’s VRT television channel.

Bush suggested there was no divergence between the policy of Washington and Europe on Iran and said they could succeed together in ensuring that Iran did not develop an atom bomb. “We’ve got a common goal and that is that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon ... I think if we continue to speak with one voice and not let them split us up and keep the pressure on, we can achieve the objective,” he said. “I’m convinced again that if the Iranians hear us loud and clear and without any wavering, that they will make the rational decision,” Bush said in an interview with France 3 television. Israel said on Wednesday that Iran was just six months away from having the knowledge to build nuclear weapons.

Back
Bush said Thursday that the United States would back Israel if it were threatened by Iran, which Washington suspects wants to build nuclear weapons. “Iran has made it clear they don’t like Israel, to put it bluntly. And the Israelis are concerned about whether or not Iran develops a nuclear weapon, as are we, as should everybody,” Bush told a press conference after naming a new national intelligence director. The US leader said the main aim was to support diplomatic attempts to solve the crisis over Iran’s nuclear program. But he added: “Clearly, if I was the leader of Israel and I’d listened to some of the statements by the Iranian ayatollahs that regarded the security of my country, I’d be concerned about Iran having a nuclear weapon as well.

“And in that Israel is our ally and in that we’ve made a very strong commitment to support Israel, we will support Israel if her security is threatened,” Bush said. The United States accuses Iran of using atomic energy as a cover for weapons development, a charge Tehran denies. Mohamed ElBaradei, who heads the UN nuclear watchdog, said in a Washington Post article this week that there was no evidence to support the claim that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. “On Iran, there really hasn’t been much development, neither as a result of our inspections or as a result of intelligence,” said the International Atomic Energy Agency director general. Bush said Iran’s controversial nuclear program would figure strongly in his talks during a visit to Europe next week.

Convinced

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he was convinced Iran was not trying to build a nuclear weapon and that Russia would press ahead with nuclear cooperation with the Islamic Republic. Putin’s defense of Iran, where Russia is building a nuclear power plant, comes in the face of US concerns that Tehran could be using Russian know-how to covertly build a nuclear weapon. “The latest steps by Iran convince Russia that Iran indeed does not intend to produce nuclear weapons and we will continue to develop relations in all sectors, including peaceful atomic energy,” Putin told Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Hassan Rohani. “We hope Iran will strictly stick to all agreements with Russia or the international community,” Putin said at the start of talks with Rohani at the Kremlin.

The United States has criticized Moscow for pressing ahead with construction of a 1,000-megawatt reactor at Bushehr in southern Iran. Russia’s top nuclear officials are due to travel to Iran next week to finalize the final technicalities of its start-up later this year. The question of Russia’s nuclear ties with Iran is certain to figure in a summit between Putin and President Bush in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Feb 24. Rohani, addressing Putin, said Moscow could play a significant role in Iran’s talks with Britain, France and Germany — the EU states taking the lead in the search for a diplomatic solution. “We think that Russia’s role can be useful in this process,” he said.

Warns
Iran warned Thursday of a fast, crushing response to any attack on its nuclear facilities saying after a day of conflicting reports about an explosion heard in the south that retaliation for a hostile strike would be so strong there could be no doubt as to what had happened. Wednesday’s explosion near the Gulf port city of Deylam, initially reported by a wing of state-run television to be a missile strike or anti-aircraft fire, was said on Thursday to have been from construction work on a dam. Other previous explanations included friendly fire from military exercises and a fuel tank that was dropped from a plane. Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani was quoted by state-run radio Thursday as saying that the explosion was not an attack, but that any hostile action would result in Iranian military action.

“Any time the Iranian nation watches our crushing response to the enemy, they should know that one of our nuclear or non-nuclear facilities has been attacked,” he was quoted as saying. Shamkhani added that “any aggression” against Iranian facilities would “meet a swift reaction.” Iran said the explosion, near the southwestern port city of Deylam, about 110 miles from the Bushehr nuclear facility, was the result of construction work. “The sound of Wednesday’s explosion was due to road building operations in the mountainous region of Deylam for the Kowsar Dam,” Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs Ali Asghar Ahmadi said Thursday.

On Wednesday a a top security official of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Agha Mohammadi, gave a similar account, saying the blast was part of construction work on a dam. “Such reports are mostly a psychological war,” Mohammadi had said. The explosion prompted fears of a missile attack, and though US and Israeli officials denied any involvement with the blast, it spiked oil prices and showed unease about the international confrontation over Iran’s nuclear program.

Opposes
Malaysia’s prime minister Thursday urged Washington to use diplomatic means to resolve a nuclear dispute with Tehran, saying he doesn’t “want to see the Iraq situation repeated in Iran.” Visiting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Muslim countries did not want Tehran attacked. “If there are some differences between Iran and US … these differences should be resolved through diplomatic channels,” he said during a news conference in Islamabad after meeting Pakistani President Gen Pervez Musharraf. “We don’t want to see the Iraq situation repeated in Iran.” Badawi called on members of the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference — the largest grouping of Muslim nations — to voice their opposition to military action against Iran.

Iran readies for feared attack by U.S

Iran has begun preparing for a possible U.S. attack, announcing efforts to bolster and mobilize recruits in citizens' militias and making plans to engage in the type of "asymmetrical" warfare used against American troops in neighboring Iraq.
"Iran would respond within 15 minutes to any attack by the United States or any other country," an Iranian official close to the hard-line camp, which runs the country's security and military apparatus, said on the condition of anonymity.


Tensions between Tehran and Washington have increased over Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology.
Tehran insists its desire for atomic energy is entirely peaceful while Washington accuses the Muslim state of using nuclear energy as a fig leaf to make weapons.
President Bush said in an interview with Belgian television yesterday that he strongly prefers a diplomatic effort over military action to deal with Iran.
"You never want a president to say never," Mr. Bush said, "but military action is ... never the president's first choice. Diplomacy is always the president's first choice, at least my first choice."
The president issued his strongest warning to Iran during last month's State of the Union speech, telling Tehran that it "must give up" its nuclear program and support for terrorism, and pledging U.S. support for Iranians who openly oppose Iran's unelected regime.
In recent days, Iranian newspapers have announced efforts to increase the number of the country's 7-million-strong "Basiji" militia forces, which were deployed in human wave attacks against Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.
Iranian military authorities have paraded long-range North Korean-designed Shahab missiles before television cameras. Iranian generals have conducted massive war games near the Iraqi border.
One Western military expert based in Tehran said Iran was sharpening its abilities to wage a guerrilla war.
"Over the last year they've developed their tactics of asymmetrical war, which would aim not at resisting a penetration of foreign forces, but to then use them on the ground to all kinds of harmful effect," he said on the condition of anonymity.
It remains unclear how much of the recent military activity amounts to an actual mobilization and how much is a propaganda ploy.
Iranian officials and analysts have said they want to highlight the potential costs of an attack on Iran to raise the stakes for U.S. officials considering such a move and to frighten a war-weary American public.
"Right now it's a psychological war," said Nasser Hadian, a University of Tehran political science professor who recently returned from a three-year stint as a scholar at New York's Columbia University.
"If America decides to attack, the only ones who could stop it are Iranians," he said. "Pressure from other countries and inside America is important, but it won't prevent an attack. The only thing that will prevent an attack is that if America knows it will pay a heavy price."
Bush administration officials have said there are no immediate plans to attack Iran and the possibility is considered remote because deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere limit U.S. capacity for a major new offensive.
Iran, in addition to developing plans for guerrilla warfare against an invading army, also is attempting to give the impression that it is bolstering its conventional forces.
In December, Iran announced its largest war games "ever," deploying 120,000 troops as well as tanks, helicopters and armored vehicles along its western border.
More recently, Iran's press reported that the Iranian air force had received orders to engage any plane that violates Iranian airspace. These reports followed the disclosure that unmanned American drone planes have been monitoring Iranian nuclear sites.
"It is obvious that with Iran surrounded by the United States forces and America pressing the nuclear issue, Iran wants to make a show of force," said a Western diplomat from Tehran, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Iran's army includes 350,000 active-duty soldiers and 220,000 conscripts.
Its elite Revolutionary Guards number 120,000, many of them draftees. Its navy and air force total 70,000 men.
The armed forces have about 2,000 tanks, 300 combat aircraft, three submarines, hundreds of helicopters and at least a dozen Russian-made Scud missile launchers of the type Saddam Hussein used against Israel during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
Iran also has an undetermined number of Shahab missiles based on North Korean designs that have ranges of up to 1,500 miles.
But both outside military experts and Iranians concede that the country's antiquated conventional hardware, worn down by years of U.S. and European sanctions, would be little match for the high-tech weaponry of the United States.
"Most of Iran's military equipment is aging or second-rate and much of it is worn," military expert Anthony Cordesman wrote in a December 2004 assessment of Iran's military. He said Iran lost between 50 percent and 60 percent of its military equipment in the Iran-Iraq war, "and it has never had large-scale access to the modern weapons and military technology necessary to replace them."

Iran's highly classified Quds forces, which have a global network of operatives and answer directly to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, could create a myriad of woes outside Iran's borders.
In neighboring Iraq, where the United States says Tehran already has been interfering, many brush off the current low-level infiltration as minor compared with the damage Tehran is capable of unleashing.
"If Iran wanted, it could make Iraq a hell for the United States," Hamid al-Bayati, Iraq's deputy foreign minister, said in a recent interview.

Bush says military action against Iran can't be ruled out


Saturday, February 19, 2005 at 08:10 JST
NEW YORK — U.S. President George Bush said Friday military action against Iran's nuclear program is not America's first choice but can never be ruled out.

"Diplomacy is always the president's, or at least always my first choice and we've got a common goal, and that is that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon," Bush told Belgian television network VRT. "First of all you never want a president to say never, but military action is certainly not, is never the president's first choice," the president was quoted as saying. (Kyodo
News)
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Bush patience with Teheran running out

20 February 2005

WASHINGTON — US President George W. Bush said Friday that talk of a US military strike on Iran’s nuclear programs was “just not the truth” but expressed growing impatience with Tehran’s response to Europe-led overtures.


“The Iranians, I read the other day where they said, “we can’t go forward unless this, that or the other -- unless the United States is involved,’” Bush told reporters in Washington ahead of his fence-mending trip to Europe next week.

“The Iranians don’t need any excuses,” the US president said. ”They just need to do what the free world has asked them to do. And it’s pretty clear: Give up your weapons program.”

Bush expressed strong support for diplomacy by Britain, France and Germany to persuade Iran to abandon its nuclear enrichment program, but resisted calls for a bigger US role in those talks with Tehran.

Asked whether Washington would consider becoming a full, fourth partner in the talks, Bush said: “We’re joined in the process” by virtue of belonging to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“We have made it clear that we agree with the objective to get rid of the weapons,” he said. “And the United States is very pleased to be a party with you, in encouraging you to carry that message.”

“And the goal is two things: One, state sponsored terror must end if there’s going to be peace; and, secondly, to make sure that the Iranians do not have a nuclear weapon,” said the US president.

European officials have said that Washington has expressed growing impatience with diplomacy towards Iran and that they hope Bush will sign on more concretely to the outreach efforts led by Berlin, London and Paris.

The US president said he would raise the issue of Iran’s nuclear programs when he meets Thursday in the Slovak capital of Bratislava with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“He’s got influence in that area, on that subject, and he agrees with our friends in Europe that the Iranians should not have a nuclear weapon. And that’s the common goal,” he said.

He did not, however, directly address Putin’s assertion earlier in the day that Russia was convinced Iran had no intention of making nuclear weapons and that Moscow would continue to cooperate with Tehran on nuclear energy.

The Iran issue will be high on the agenda next week as Bush meets in Europe with European Union and NATO leaders, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

Britain, France and Germany have been spearheading diplomatic efforts to get Iran to abandon processes which could be used to make nuclear arms. Washington has charged that the Islamic republic seeks weapons, which Tehran denies.

“It’s hard to trust a regime that doesn’t trust their own people,” Bush told France’s TV-3 in an interview Friday. “The Iranians ought to listen to the reformers in their country, those who believe in democracy, and give them a say in government.”

Bush repeatedly refused, as a matter of principle, to rule out US military action against Iran but worked to defuse global concerns that the Islamic Republic was next on his list after Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.

“I hear all these rumors about military attacks, and it’s just not the truth. We want diplomacy to work. And I believe diplomacy can work, so long as the Iranians don’t divide Europe and the United States,” he told ARD.

“The common goal is for them not to have a nuclear weapon,” said Bush, who in 2002 branded Iran part of an “axis of evil” with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq and North Korea.

Bush said Tehran also had to “stop exporting terror through Hezbollah, which could be a devastating blow to the peace process between Israel and the Palestinian people.”

Iran and Syria are the two main supporters of the Lebanese Shiite Muslim group, which pursues an anti-Israeli guerrilla campaign.

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Osama trail leads to Iran?


KARACHI: Osama bin Laden may be in Iran. One of the most senior American diplomats in Pakistan has said the US believes Osama may have been intercepted and detained against his will by Iranian agents while travelling along the border between eastern Iran, Balochistan and Afghanistan.

It is a journey already tried out in the past by several Al Qaeda members, may be even by Osama himself, and therefore considered safe, explains the diplomat, who agreed to talk on condition of anonymity.

According to the diplomat, the "Osama in Iran" theory already features in American intelligence reports Osama bin Laden is in Pakistan or Afghanistan. "Until last September we knew, we were sure, that he was in south Waziristan. Now we think Iran, or Yemen. These are the theories they are putting forward," he explained.

For this reason, the United States is no longer putting as much pressure on Pakistan for the military operations to continue in south Waziristan or to open up new fronts in other areas on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the diplomat said. "To open new fronts along the border risks destabilizing Pakistan and there is no reason to do that, given that we are no longer sure Osama is in that area."

The Yemen theory indicated that Osama had fled to the Gulf country, driven partly by the desire to personally head up the new Al Qaeda offensive across the border in Saudi Arabia. But the most convincing hypothesis, considering the climate of tension between Washington and Tehran over the nuclear issue, is surely the Iranian one. And this is the one the diplomat insists on pursuing.

In the past there has been talk of the possible presence of leading Al Qaeda figures in Tehran, in a militarized compound directly controlled by the Pasdaran (Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards corps).

Al Qaeda number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and one of Osama's sons are the most illustrious names rumoured to be held there. Some say the Al Qaeda men are kept in conditions of "genuine hospitality", while others say Tehran is enforcing an "obligatory stay" and keeping them "under surveillance".

Further fuelling these rumours was an announcement last year by Hassan Rohani, secretary general of the Iranian National Security Council, that Al Qaeda-linked arrests have been made and that these would lead to a future trial.

"They [the Iranians] have played these games in the past, letting whoever they pleased come and go, and freeing those who were no longer useful to them," the diplomat said.

Yet this time, Osama bin Laden himself could have become trapped in one of the Iranian intelligence "games". The Al Qaeda leader may have tried to seek temporary refuge in Iran after being forced to abandon south Waziristan, following the Pakistani and US military offensive and the arrest of a series of Al Qaeda members who could have revealed the exact location of his hiding place. Probably entering Iran through Balochistan and possibly passing through the border city of Taftan, Osama may have been taken into custody by agents from Tehran.

If that's the case, the Iranians may be considering using him as a bargaining chip to stave off possible military action from the United States. "It is a possible scenario.

They could do it, of course. What remains to be seen is how we will react," the diplomat, said, adding however that the capture of Osama no longer tops the list of Washington's priorities. "After Bush's re-election, it is no longer a priority aim. The stabilizing of Iraq and the Iranian nuclear threat come first."

The diplomat declined to comment on rumours that the United States is organizing commando operations against Tehran, using Pakistan, and in particular Karachi and the province of Balochistan, as a support base - a scenario described in a recent investigative report by the American weekly the New Yorker.

That same scenario has been confirmed by Pakistani military sources, and its plausibility is further strengthened by indications of the construction of two new American military outposts in Balochistan: the first in the vicinity of the Khuzdar airbase, and another closer to the border with Iran, at Dalbandin.

In recent weeks, the Pakistani press has also reported the presence of American commandos in Karachi, in light of the possible action on Iranian territory. According to the reports, it has been chosen as a training ground because of its geographical layout, which is very similar to that of Tehran. However, Pakistani military sources who confirmed the reports, refused to comment on what kind of action the American troops are planning. - By arrangement with ADNKRONOS-Italy.


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Iran denies rumours it has arrested bin Laden

AFP: 2/21/2005

TEHRAN, Feb 21 (AFP) - Iran denied Monday suggestions on some local Internet sites that it arrested Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, the Western world's most wanted man, on the border with Pakistan.

"This information is wrong and bin Laden has not been arrested by our security forces," government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh said at a weekly press briefing.

Some Iranian Internet sites quoted American officials as saying the Al-Qaeda leader, who has a 25-million-dollar US bounty on his head, had been arrested two weeks ago by Iranian forces.

The Saudi-born militant is blamed for the September 11, 2001 terror strikes on the United States and a string of other attacks around the world.

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Iran welcomes Indian move for gas pipeline via Pakistan

AFP, New Delhi

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Monday the approval of a pipeline project to bring Iranian gas to India via Pakistan would encourage regional peace and trade.
Kharrazi held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh Monday as part of a two-day visit to boost trade and discuss the pipeline project. He will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later Monday and give a speech to the Indian Council for World Affairs Tuesday.

"Fortunately the Indian government's recent approval of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline has created an encouraging atmosphere for pushing ahead this highly important project which no doubt would have positive impact on the regional convergence," Kharrazi said in prepared remarks.

Indian Oil Minister Mani Shanker Aiyar has been pushing the five-year 2,775-kilometre (1,410 mile) pipeline project to meet the country's growing energy needs despite hostility from some in the government that nuclear rival Pakistan could benefit from the deal.

Those concerns have eased in the last year because of a peace dialogue between the two countries. Aiyar is due to visit Tehran in June to firm up the deal.

India is predicted to require 400 million cubic meters (14,125 million cubic feet) of gas per day by 2025, up from today's 90 million cubic meters.


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Is an American showdown with Iran inevitable?


President George Bush's state of the Union speech early this month makes it abundantly clear that with the Republican hawks in power in the US the world is yet not a safe place and the distant drum of war is distinctly becoming louder. Indeed, the bellicose presidential speech aimed at Syria and Iran makes the future of entire Middle-East, one of the earliest cradle of civilisation, look anything but grim and seems designed to prepare the world for possible military action against the two countries. Both came under Bush's ire -- Iran was accused for its nuclear programme and Syria for sponsoring terrorism. The good conduct for their being spared was also prescribed. The president apparently in tantrum and breathing fire again asked Tehran to give up its uranium enrichment while seemingly inciting the Iranians to rebel when he said: 'America stands with you.' For Damascus the prescription was to withdraw its troops from Lebanon. Also in a recent interview with NBC News Bush again chillingly reminded that the US could take military action against Iran if the country was not forthcoming about its suspected nuclear programme.

On all of these issues what lies at the heart of US policies are, of course, Israeli interests. The Jewish state is Middle East's only nuclear power which has been armed to the teeth by the US -- a position the US is determined to perpetuate. Although with a US backing it repeatedly committed acts of aggression against all its neighbours, the international community seemed to look the other way. It has also been in illegal occupation of Gaza Strip and West Bank including Al-Quds for 31 years. It also occupied a strip of Lebanon for 22 years and annexed Syria's Golan Heights. Israel grudges Syria's special position in Lebanon from where she was driven out by Hizbollah. Israel has always been looking for an excuse to invade Syria for all those reasons. But for Iran both Tel Aviv and Washington haven't ever ruled out the use of force to destroy Tehran's nuclear installation.


This is the scenario at a time when Iran is engaged with the European Union on its nuclearisation. The European troika of Britain, France and Germany already finalised agreement with Iran last November aimed at getting Iran to abandon the manufacture of nuclear fuel that can be further refined to bomb grade. Now at the heart of the dispute are 'objective guarantees' about Iran's nuclear intentions. The Europeans are of the view that once Iran masters making low enriched uranium needed for power reactors it will be in a position to make the highly enriched uranium needed for bomb making. So they want Iran entirely out of nuclear fuel business. In return they would offer Iran attractive trade relations and normalisation of political relationship. Also the Europeans will meet Iran's other nuclear technology needs.


It is believed that a combination of threats and lucrative offers -- the carrot and stick of sorts -- would deflect Iran from its nuclear path. But that would require a concerted pressure not only from European troika but also from America including Russia and China. If that happens, Iran's nuclear violations can be reported to the UNSC -- paving the way for imposing sanctions in case of non-compliance by Iran. But in an attempt to dilute the solidarity of powers likely to pressurise Iran the latter already offered gas and oil contracts to Russia, China and others to pursue them to break ranks with the Europeans and Americans.


The danger, however, is that if Iran blocks the consensus on sanction in the UNSC the Americans may be obliged to debate the option of war. Yet the Iranians emboldened by the high prices of oil and continuing US predicaments in Iraq feel confident that they can withstand the US threats. There is no evidence as yet that Bush's new foreign policy team will be more proficient at dealing with Iran than with the crisis in Iraq. Iran presents far more complex challenge than what Iraq did. Iran has already mastered key military technologies and has long range missiles that may eventually carry warheads including nuclear ones if it has already developed them.


However, the perception of the US and that of Europe with regards to Iran situation vary substantially. Washington views Iran as outright enemy as well as hostile and terror-sponsoring state which is meddling in Iraq and on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons with which it could target Israel, Iran's long standing enemy. On the otherhand, Europeans view Iran rather charitably. Their perception of Iran is subtle and closer to reality. They have already negotiated a nuclear freeze with Iran. The only hitch that remains is: For how long? The Europeans attach importance to Iran's competitive polity hoping that with the coming up of a younger generation Iran will be an open society. Unlike the Americans they ascribe Iran's nuclear policy to a measure of national pride and certainly not to a hostile action. If the European assessment of Iran is valid -- it is obvious -- the harder the Americans push the Iranians, the defiant will they become.


Not that the Americans do not understand it. But their concern centre round Israel's security. The Israeli Knesset was presented in July last an annual intelligent assessment according to which Iran, after Iraq, was the greatest threat to the Jewish state. Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Simon Peres recently warned that the world must mobilise against Iran's military potentials. The Mossad chief also told the Knesset's foreign affairs and defence committee that Iran was on the brink of uranium enrichment capability end by the year's and it would be a point of no return.


In view of the above revelations an Israeli factor cannot be ignored in case of Iran. The analysts tend to believe that Tel Aviv may not wait for a US green signal and repeat what it did in 1981 to Iraq's Osirik reactor rear Baghdad. Such action will, of course, be followed by an acceptance of the fait accompli by an ever obliging US when it comes to the question of Israel's security.


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Bush issues war of words to Iran, Syria

AP, Brussels

US President Bush appealed to Europe yesterday to move beyond animosities over Iraq and join forces in encouraging democratic reforms across the Middle East. He also prodded Russia to reverse a crackdown on political dissent, demanded that Iran end its nuclear ambitions and told Syria to get out of Lebanon.
Bush did not rule out using military force in Iran, saying all options remain on the table. But, addressing widespread concerns in Europe that Iran is the next US target after Iraq, Bush said: "Iran is ... different from Iraq. We're in the early stages of diplomacy."

Bush's speech on a five-day fence-mending trip to Europe was aimed at both US and European audiences. "In a new century, the alliance of America and Europe is the main pillar of our security," he said.

He used the word "alliance" 12 times in his speech to underscore his aim to repair relations frayed by the war in Iraq. But not all his speech was conciliatory.

Bush had pointed criticism for Russia three days ahead of a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Slovakia. Referring to Putin's recent steps to consolidate power, rollback democratic reforms and curb press and political freedoms, Bush said:

"We must always remind Russia that our alliance stands for a free press, a vital opposition, the sharing of power and the rule of law. The United States should place democratic reform at the heart of their dialogue with Russia."

Bush's speech was delivered in an ornate ballroom of Brussels' Concert Noble hall before an audience of business leaders, academics and diplomats. It was greeted mostly by subdued applause.

He was having a private dinner later Monday with French President Jacques Chirac, one of his harshest critics on Iraq. His trip also included stops in Germany and Slovakia.

Bush urged greater "tangible political, economic and security assistance to the world's newest democracy," Iraq. And he called for European allies to stand by fledgling democracy movements throughout the world, and especially in the Middle East.

He said he recognized that full democracy could take awhile to root. Even in the United States, democracy came slowly, Bush said, pointing out that women and minorities were not treated equally "and that struggle hasn't ended."

Bush had sharp words for Syria, calling on leaders in Damascus to withdraw its forces from Lebanon. As Bush spoke, thousands of opposition supporters in Beirut shouted insults at Syria and demanded the resignation of Lebanon's pro-Syrian government, marking a week since the assassination of Rafik Hariri, Lebanon's most prominent politician.

The United States has withdrawn its ambassador from Syria for consultations to protest a suspected link between the assassination and Syria.

"The Lebanese people have the right to be free, and the United States and Europe share an interest in an independent, democratic Lebanon," Bush said.

On Iran, Bush said the United States was working with European allies Britain, France and Germany on a diplomatic solution to end Iran's nuclear program. His administration, however, has been skeptical of the Europeans' approach to offer Iran economic and political incentives not to develop nuclear arms.

"The results of this approach now depend largely on Iran," Bush said. "The time has arrived for the Iranian regime to listen to the Iranian people and respect their rights and join in the movement toward liberty that is taking place all around them."

And he had pointed advice for two pivotal US allies in the Middle East: Saudi Arabia and Egypt.


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US Threatening Europe More Than Iran

VIENNA, Austria,
Feb. 21--Head of IranÕs Technical and Nuclear Committee negotiating with EU troika, Sirous Nasseri, here on Monday said the United States' political and military threats have targeted Europe more than Iran.
Nasseri, who attended the fourth session of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Committee of the International Atomic Energy Agency, made the remark in an exclusive interview with IRNA.
"Such threats are mostly aimed at putting pressure on the European parties involved in negotiations with Iran. Based on international law, a country which poses threats against the facilities of a nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) signatory has violated the fundamentals of the treaty and has challenged it," he said.
He also said the US, Europe and other states cannot prevent Iran from making progress in the nuclear field, stressing that US military threats will bear no fruit.
Asked about EU's stance during several rounds of talks with the Iranian delegation and the outcome of such negotiations, the Iranian diplomat said, "I believe the Europeans have gradually realized that Iran's nuclear capability is not for sale.Ó
Nasseri noted that the Europeans have goodwill, but still lack the political support to reach an agreement.
"A final agreement in the new round of talks will be based on continuation of (uranium) enrichment by Iran. We will give the Europeans a chance to adopt such a stance but this opportunity will not last forever. Iran plans to follow up its nuclear fuel production plan completely," he said.
Nasseri maintained that Iran's stance on enrichment contradicts that of the US administration and Òthere is no room for talks between the two countriesÓ.
"Under the current circumstances, it is better to hold talks with the states that play a mediatory role," he said.


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Massive Earthquake Hits Iran

Feb 22, 2005, 11:52 AM

KERMAN, Iran (AP) - A powerful earthquake toppled mud-built homes and flattened villages in central Iran on Tuesday, killing at least 231 people and injuring more than 1,000, officials and state-run television said. A senior official said the death toll could top 350. TV footage showed residents frantically digging through piles of debris looking for loved ones following the 6.4-magnitude earthquake, which struck at 5:55 a.m. While homes made of mud collapsed, buildings of cement appeared not to sustain heavy damage. Survivors pleaded for help finding the buried: "What a catastrophe. Please help us," one said. Rain was hampering rescue efforts. The quake's epicenter was on the outskirts of Zarand, a town of about 15,000 people located 35 miles northwest of Kerman, the capital of Kerman province, said the seismological unit of Tehran University's Geophysics Institute. The mountainous area is in the same province but northwest of Bam, where a quake killed 26,000 people in 2003. "All hospitals in Zarand are filled to capacity with the injured. Hospitals in the town cannot receive any more of the injured," the broadcast said. Kerman provincial governor Mohammad Ali Karimi was quoted as saying that "several villages have been destroyed" by the earthquake. Rain was reportedly hampering rescue efforts. The villages of Hotkan, Khanook, Motaharabad and Islamabad were the worst hit villages, it said. Mohammad Javad Fadaei, deputy provincial governor of Kerman, said the death toll stood at 231 with more than 1,000 injured, according to state-run television. Mostafa Soltani, a spokesman at Kerman Governor General Office, said officials expect the final death toll to surpass 350. "It's difficult to make a prediction but it's possible that the final death toll may reach 350 at the end," Soltani told The Associated Press on the phone from Kerman. Soltani said the experience of the more powerful earthquake in 2003 in the nearby region helped local authorities cope with the latest quake. "The earthquake in 2003 gave us a very good experience of how to deal with such a natural disaster. Despite the rain, relief operations are going smoothly. Relief teams have reached the villages and are helping the survivors," he said. The television quoted the governor of Zarand, identified only as Rashidi, as saying that power in the region has been disrupted. He said medical and other supplies were needed, especially medicine, syringes and tents. Zarand, 600 miles southeast of the capital Tehran, is a small town in Kerman Province with a population of about 15,000 people. Live pictures on Iranian television showed ambulances carrying the dead and injured and survivors sitting next to the dead slapping their faces and striking their head in grief. Soltani said Tuesday's quake definitely is not a replay of the devastating 2003 earthquake because the epicenter of the quake is remote villages with few population. Pictures also included many mud-built houses not damaged in some of the villages near the quake epicenter. That magnitude-6.6 quake flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam in the same region, killing 26,000 people. Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. It experiences at least one slight earthquake everyday on average.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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PM rules out mediation on Iran's nuclear plan


By Intikhab Hanif

TEHRAN, Feb 22: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said here on Tuesday that Pakistan did not have any illusion about mediating on Iran's nuclear programme but, if asked, would assist it as a brotherly country.

"We are not here to act as a mediator. Neither are we carrying any message. Iran is capable of looking after its own affairs. We want peace so does Iran and this is our common ground," Mr Aziz said while talking to journalists along with Iranian First Vice-President Dr Reza Aref at the Saadabad Palace after the official welcoming ceremony.

When asked about the possibility of signing an agreement with Iran for the proposed gas pipeline, Mr Aziz said the two sides would move forward to achieve the goal. He said Pakistan's economy was growing rapidly and its energy needs were rising. "To ensure the continued growth, we need to look for new resources of energy from many sources," he said.

He said some times back, Pakistan had proposed an energy corridor to deliver gas from Iran and other countries to India. "Initially, New Delhi had shown reservations but now the Indian cabinet has agreed to the Pakistani request," he said.

The prime minister expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of life in the Zarand earthquake. In his welcoming remarks, Dr Aref said that Pakistan and Iran shared common values.

He said Iran wanted friendly relations with its neighbours for regional peace and hoped that the visit would enhance relations between the two countries and lead to regional stability.

He said both sides would discuss regional and international development and explore new areas of cooperation. Earlier, the prime minister who is accompanied by his wife was accorded a warm welcome at the Mehrabad Airport. He was received by Iranian Roads and Transport Minister Rahmati.

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Earthquake: Musharraf offers help to Iran

ISLAMABAD, Feb 22: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has expressed deep shock and grief over a devastating earthquake in Iran on Tuesday and offered assistance to deal with the disaster, officials said.

"The loss of precious lives and the plight of injured and displaced persons is being felt acutely here in Pakistan," President Musharraf said in a message to Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.

"We stand ready to render assistance to our Iranian brothers and sisters to deal with this calamity and provide any help for rescue, relief and rehabilitation that your government may consider most appropriate and effective," he said.

The powerful pre-dawn earthquake struck Iran's south eastern province of Kerman on Tuesday. Provincial governor Mohammad Ali Karimi said at least 400 people had been killed and more than 700 injured in the quake which measured 6.4 on the Richter scale. Hospitals in the region were overwhelmed and officials warned that the casualty toll could rise further. -AFP

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Iran says it fears leaked nuclear information

Says concerns are behind ban
on further U.N. visits to some sites

VIENNA, Austria - Declaring some sites off-limits to U.N. inspectors, Iran said Wednesday it fears that leaked information gathered by them could help those planning a possible strike on its military installations.


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Meanwhile, the United States, which has not ruled out such an attack on Iran, urged the U.N. Security Council to take action against Tehran, saying the Islamic Republic is “cynically” pursuing nuclear arms while hiding its intentions from the world — an allegation Iran denies.

Jackie Sanders, chief U.S. delegate to the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N nuclear watchdog, made the comments in response to an update on Iran’s nuclear record after more than two years of examination by the agency.

Sanders called the IAEA report a “startling list of Iranian attempts to hide and mislead and delay the work” of agency experts, and urged other countries to support a U.S. drive to have Iran referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions — which past board meetings have refused to do.

Parchin site in figurative crosshairs

Iran’s refusal to grant IAEA inspectors renewed access to the Parchin military site after an initial, severely restricted visit last month was one of the issues raised by the agency’s review. The United States says Iran may be testing high-explosive components for nuclear weapons, using an inert core of depleted uranium at Parchin as a dry run for a bomb that would use fissile material.

The IAEA says it has found no firm evidence that Iran’s nuclear program is intended for anything other than peacefully generating electricity. The agency also has not been able to support U.S. assertions that nearly 20 years of covert nuclear programs discovered more than two years ago were aimed at making nuclear weapons. Iran says these programs, too, were intended to generate electricity.

Iranian chief delegate Sirous Nasseri, noted Wednesday that his country was not obligated to allow any access to sites like Parchin, which are not part of the agency’s purview.



• IRAN: Maps, facts and figures

Worries about “confidentiality of information” gathered on such visits “are more intense in view of potential threats of military strikes against ... facilities visited by (the) agency,” he said.

While describing fears that America was getting ready for an attack as “ridiculous,” President Bush has refused to rule it out completely as a long-term possibility, saying last week that “all options are on the table.”

The IAEA review also focused on Iran’s decision to block any further probing of possible dual use equipment at the Lavizan-Shian site near Tehran — a move that effectively shut down one area of the agency’s inquiry.

The U.S. State Department last year said Lavizan-Shian’s buildings had been completely dismantled and topsoil had been removed from the site in attempts to hide nuclear-weapons related experiments.

IAEA review cites Arak reactor capability
The review also noted that Iran continues to build a heavy water reactor in the city of Arak that can produce plutonium, despite agency requests to cease construction on the facility.

It also mentioned delays by Iran in informing the agency that it was building tunnels in the central city of Isfahan for nuclear storage, and blips in its commitment to totally freeze all activities related to uranium enrichment.

Iran has suspended work on its enrichment program pending negotiations with France, Germany and Britain. But it has repeatedly said the freeze is short-term, despite hopes that it will fully scrap its plans.

“This is something that is not on the table and will not be on the table,” Nasseri told reporters, saying his country had “gone through blood and sweat and tears” to develop the enrichment program.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7070409/

U S official says Iran, Syria "against all of us"

WASHINGTON, Mar 3 (Reuters) The United States kept up the pressure on Iran and Syria even as a senior White House security official urged the international community to demand that Tehran and Damascus stop supporting terrorism.

''State sponsors of terrorism such as Iran and Syria are with the terrorists and therefore against all of us,'' Frances Townsend, homeland security adviser to President George W Bush, said yesterday.

''From this day forward the community of nations must be united in demanding a complete end to the state sponsorship of terrorism,'' she told the Club of Madrid, a group of former government leaders, in a luncheon speech.

The United States accuses Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and is pressing Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon after a car bomb killed former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri last month.

Syria rejects accusations that it supports terrorism and Iran contends that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes.

The two countries vowed last month to form a common front to face threats against them.

The Club of Madrid is holding an international meeting on democracy, terrorism and security in Madrid next week to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the March 11, 2004 train bombings in the Spanish capital.

Townsend praised Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which some American critics say have not done enough to fight terrorism, as ''ever stronger partners in the war against terror.'' She added: ''Their continued good efforts must be acknowledged and applauded.'' Partnerships with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and others were essential to ensure that al Qaeda and other extremist groups did not find a sanctuary, she said.

''If you write a check, if you provide a safe house, if you allow your laws to remain weak and if you fail to pass critical information to your neighbors about terrorists ... if you knowingly allow terrorists to move freely through your country -- you have sided with extremism and against the free world,'' Townsend said.


Russia planning new nuclear reactors in Iran
Web posted at: 3/3/2005 3:57:36
Source ::: AFP
MOSCOW: Russia is likely to build several more nuclear reactors in Iran after completing the Islamic state’s first plant at Bushehr despite stiff protests from Israel and the United States, analysts and diplomats said yesterday.

“Completing Bushehr will certainly increase Iran’s trust in us,” Moscow’s ambassador to Tehran, Alexander Maryasov, told the Itar-tass news agency. “I think that this will create beneficial conditions for future projects,” said Maryasov, adding that Russia’s nuclear energy chief Alexander Rumyantsev studied the possibility of constructing at least two new reactors in Iran while on a visit there Sunday.

Russia signed a technological cooperation agreement with Tehran in 2002 that opened the way for construction of up to five reactors — including a second one at Bushehr — over 10 years. “Russia is breaking new ground by constructing the first nuclear energy station,” he said.

US Accuses Iran of 'Cynical Manipulation' Over Nukes

(CNSNews.com) - Iran came under fire Wednesday from the United States and European nations over its nuclear programs, while the U.S. also chastised the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog for not referring the matter to the U.N. Security Council, which could impose sanctions.


Addressing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors in Vienna, President Bush's envoy on non-proliferation Jackie Sanders accused Iran of being "willing and apparently able to cynically manipulate the nuclear non-proliferation regime in the pursuit of nuclear weapons."


Sanders said there were "an alarming number" of unresolved questions about Tehran's nuclear activities and accused it of responding to IAEA investigations by trying to "hide and mislead."


"It is clear that Iran has continued to deny [IAEA] inspectors the transparency and cooperation they need to perform their duties," Sanders added.


Sanders said that with Iran's history of clandestine nuclear activity and documented efforts to deceive the international community "only the full cessation and dismantling of Iran's fissile material production can begin to give us any confidence that Iran is no longer pursuing nuclear weapons."


European Union (EU) members Britain, France and Germany earlier reached an agreement with Iran to temporarily freeze its uranium-enrichment program but have so far failed to persuade it to abandon it altogether in return for incentives. The next round of EU-Iran talks is scheduled for March 12 in Geneva.


In a joint statement delivered to the meeting, the EU trio also criticized Iran, though in more conciliatory tones.


They said although Iran had permitted "transparency" visits intended to open its nuclear facilities to outside scrutiny, it "seems to have been determined to limit their scope."


Specifically, Iran has refused to allow IAEA inspectors to carry out further visits to a military base at Parchin, where the U.S. suspects testing of high explosive components for a nuclear weapon has been carried out.


Iran allowed one limited visit but has repeatedly argued that it was under no obligation to do so again, as Parchin is not one of the declared nuclear facilities Iran is expected to open to inspection.


Britain, France and Germany also noted that despite Iran's undertaking to suspend uranium-enrichment activities, it had recently been carrying out maintenance work on enrichment equipment - a matter "of serious concern."


"We understand this decision as a voluntary commitment to suspend all, meaning each and every, enrichment-related activities, without exceptions," the EU trio said in a statement read out by British envoy, Robert Wright. "We urge Iran to keep to this voluntary commitment."


Uranium-enrichment is a sensitive activity because it can produce the ingredient for atomic bombs. But it can also produce lower-grade material used for power-generation, and Iran insists its program is intended for peaceful, civilian purposes only.


The U.S. believes otherwise, certain that Tehran wants to join the small club of nuclear-armed nations.


In her statement, Sanders said the IAEA had a "statutory obligation" to refer Iran to the Security Council, warning that it could not ignore its responsibility "forever."


"The Security Council has the international legal and political authority that will bring this issue to a successful and peaceful resolution," she said.


'Attack threats'


Responding to the criticism about Parchin, Iranian delegate Sirus Naseri said in Vienna that allowing the IAEA to visit "sensitive areas" could also provide information that is of value to others, "including those who may not have the best of intentions."


Naseri added that there still existed "notions of threats of attacks against Iran's safeguarded and other facilities by a major nuclear-weapon state" - an apparent reference to the U.S., which has not ruled out any option in dealing with the standoff.


Earlier in the meeting, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei noted that Iran had been carrying out a clandestine nuclear program for two decades. He reported on several areas where he said Iran was refusing to cooperate with the agency's inspectors.


An IAEA review of Iran's programs said it was continuing work on building a heavy-water nuclear reactor in Arak. Such reactors can produce plutonium - another bomb ingredient - and the IAEA has urged Iran to stop work on the site.


The review also said Iran was blocking further IAEA examination into the possible use of "dual-use" equipment, which can have either weaponry or civilian functions, at a site called Lavisan.


Last November, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an exiled Iranian opposition group, accused Tehran of secretly enriching uranium for nuclear weapons at Lavisan.


Iran's representative at the IAEA, Pirouz Hosseini, said Wednesday that Iran's intention to become a producer and supplier of nuclear fuel was "firm and unalterable."


"At the same time there is no intention of diversion [to a nuclear weapons program], now or ever," the Iranian news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.

Iran Deceives International Nuclear Inspectors, U.S. Says
United States issues formal statement to IAEA board of governors

The United States has accused Iran of concealing its nuclear activities from international inspectors trying to determine whether Iran is developing nuclear weapons.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has compiled a "startling list of Iranian attempts to hide and mislead, and delay the work of IAEA inspectors. It is clear that Iran has continued to deny inspectors the transparency and cooperation they need to perform their duties," said Ambassador Jackie Wolcott Sanders in a statement to the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna March 2.

Sanders is the U.S. ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and the special representative of the president for the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.

Despite a pledge to suspend production of uranium tetrafluoride, a key ingredient in the enrichment process, Iran continued its production at the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) in Esfahan, Iran, Sanders said.

Citing information released by IAEA Deputy Director-General Pierre Goldschmidt, Sanders enumerated what the United States considers to be Iran's infractions of its nonproliferation commitments. For example, she said Iran continued to conduct quality-control tests on a variety of centrifuge components despite an agreement to suspend assembly, installation, testing or operation of gas centrifuges.

"Given Iran's history of clandestine nuclear activities and its documented efforts to deceive the IAEA and the international community, only the full cessation and dismantling of Iran's nuclear fissile material production can begin to give us any confidence that Iran is no longer pursuing nuclear weapons," Sanders said.

Sanders said the board of governors cannot ignore forever its responsibility to report Iran's noncompliance with its nonproliferation commitments to the U.N. Security Council.

The United States "would expect the Board to convene immediately to consider appropriate action if there is any further deterioration of Iran's adherence to its suspension pledge," Sanders said.

On March 1, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said the United States is in full agreement with Britain, France and Germany on the need to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The three European countries have launched an initiative known as EU-3 to begin negotiations with Iran aimed at achieving a permanent resolution of the Iranian nuclear challenge.

"We support the efforts of our European friends to get Iran to abandon its ambitions for a nuclear weapon," McClellan said. "[W]e've been talking with them about the best way forward to strengthen their diplomatic efforts."

Following are the text of Sanders' statement and excerpts from McClellan's March 1 media briefing dealing with Iran:


BOG Agenda Item 5c

Nuclear Verification: Other Safeguards Implementation Issues

Safeguards Implementation in the Islamic Republic of Iran

U.S. Statement
March 2, 2005

Madame Chair,

I want to thank the Director General and the IAEA Safeguards Department for the IAEA's continuing, rigorous efforts to monitor and verify Iran's suspension commitment and to investigate its previously undeclared nuclear program. I would also like to thank Deputy Director General Goldschmidt for his detailed briefing on these issues and welcome the opportunity to make a few observations in light of his presentation.

For the first time in almost eighteen months, the Board is discussing Iran's nuclear program without considering a written report from the Director General or adopting a resolution. A casual observer might conclude that this was because the IAEA had been able to resolve all outstanding questions about Iran's decades-long clandestine nuclear activities. There are those who might assume, and no doubt Iran will insist, that Iran has lived up to its November 15 agreement to suspend all enrichment- related and reprocessing activities, or that Iran had complied fully with all the requests made by this Board over the last two years. However, as DDG Goldschmidt's remarks confirmed, such conclusions would be drawn in error. Dr. Goldschmidt's recitation of events since November provides us with a startling list of Iranian attempts to hide and mislead, and delay the work of IAEA inspectors. It is clear that Iran has continued to deny inspectors the transparency and cooperation they need to perform their duties.

Madame Chair,

As the IAEA has confirmed, three months after its suspension pledge was to have taken effect, Iran continued production of uranium tetrafluoride at the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) in Esfahan, only completing that processing on February 18. This continued UF4 production is not consistent with the November 15 agreement to suspend "all tests or production at any uranium conversion installation." There was also no legitimate rationale for Iran to rush to load 37 tons of uranium feed material into the UCF in the days before the suspension took effect. Iran's goals seem to have been to circumvent full implementation of its suspension pledge by claiming the need to process all material in the UCF through to UF4 and move as close as possible to production of UF6 in anticipation of ending its suspension. We look forward to a further detailed update on this issue once the IAEA's inventory verification at the UCF is complete.

Iran has gone out of its way to press the limits of its own suspension commitment.

In the months following the last Board meeting, as we have heard from Deputy Director Goldschmidt, Iran proceeded to conduct quality control tests on a variety of centrifuge components. It is difficult to imagine how such testing is consistent with Iran's agreement to suspend "assembly, installation, testing, or operation of gas centrifuges."

The U.S. welcomed the clear messages that the IAEA and others sent to Iran that these activities must stop immediately, but it still remains to be seen whether Iran will take these messages seriously. Meanwhile, we encourage the IAEA to extend its suspension verification efforts to every declared centrifuge workshop, rather than relying on random visits to select workshops. We also reaffirm the Board's November resolution calling on Iran to adhere to the terms of its suspension pledge as a necessary precondition for resolving the international community's longstanding concerns about the nature of Iran's nuclear program. Given Iran's history of clandestine nuclear activities and its documented efforts to deceive the IAEA and the international community, only the full cessation and dismantling of Iran's fissile material production can begin to give us any confidence that Iran is no longer pursuing nuclear weapons.

Madame Chair,

It is not just Iran's manipulation of its suspension commitments that has raised serious concerns. The Board of Governors has repeatedly called on Iran, most recently in the resolution adopted September 18, 2004, to reconsider its decision to start construction of a heavy water research reactor. Iran has provided changing and contradictory rationales to the IAEA for this project, which would be well suited for plutonium production. Now we hear that work is continuing on this project. Yet again, Iran has defied the Board's calls not to proceed with construction of this facility and has thus far failed to provide a credible explanation for its rush to complete this project. Noting that DDG Goldschmidt has stated that the IAEA has not visited the heavy water research reactor site since this Board adopted our September 2004 resolution, we urge the IAEA to do so at the next opportunity, and to report to the Board on what it finds.

Since June 2003 this Board has repeatedly called on Iran to conclude and implement an Additional Protocol (AP). The Board welcomed Iran's decision to sign an Additional Protocol in December 2003 and its commitment to act in accordance with the provisions of the Protocol. However, since late 2003, Iran does not appear to have taken any steps toward ratifying the AP. As the Board has said repeatedly, Iran needs to take immediate steps to ratify the Additional Protocol.

Madame Chair,

Dr. ElBaradei in his report to the Board earlier this week found it necessary to call yet again on Iran to provide full transparency, noting that in some cases, Iran still has not provided full information or cooperation to the IAEA. As Dr. ElBaradei reiterated on Monday, Iran's failure to do so has created a "confidence deficit" in Iran's assertions. We could not agree more, especially in light of Deputy Director General Goldschmidt's remarks.

It is clear that Iran's cooperation falls far short of the standard and expectations set forth in this Board's last resolution of extending "full and prompt cooperation to the Director General" and "to provide any access deemed necessary by the Agency in accordance with the Additional Protocol." Iran's confirmed failure to allow the Agency full access to three of the four sites it requested to visit in Parchin, and its recent refusal to the IAEA to allow further transparency visits to Parchin, is but one troubling example. There are others.

Dr. Goldschmidt also indicated that in several instances, Iran failed to provide requested documentation after repeated Agency requests. Any such refusals by Iran to allow the IAEA full and prompt access to locations of concern, or of requested documentation related to its nuclear program, are unacceptable, and this Board should say so. The IAEA will be unable to resolve the questions raised by Iran's longstanding clandestine nuclear program and breaches of its Safeguards Agreement unless Iran provides its full cooperation. The United States requests that the Director General notify this Board immediately of any further cases of Iran denying the Agency such access. We call on Iran to allow the IAEA full and immediate access to all locations of concern, including any and all requested sites at Parchin.

But Iran's continuing failure to provide full access is not the only outstanding issue concerning Iran's nuclear program, as Dr. Goldschmidt's remarks confirm:

--We are very concerned to hear that Iran only recently admitted to the IAEA that it received an offer in 1987 from a "foreign intermediary" for an extensive range of centrifuge-related equipment and assistance. This assistance included drawings, specifications and calculations for a complete uranium enrichment plant and materials for 2000 centrifuge machines, as well as equipment for uranium re-conversion and uranium casting capabilities. Iran's failure to declare this offer in its previous declarations to the IAEA is significant, and indicates to us that Iran has still not declared the full history or scope of its centrifuge programs. Given that recent press reports of this 1987 offer included details not confirmed by Dr. Goldschmidt, such as the participants in the 1987 meeting or whether that offer was explicitly intended as the first of many "phases" in future cooperation between Iran and that intermediary, we would welcome any further information the IAEA can offer the Board about this significant development. This evidence further demonstrates Iran's consistent pattern of providing information on its clandestine nuclear activities only when confronted with undeniable evidence from other sources;

--We also hope the IAEA will clarify further what Dr. Goldschmidt meant in his reference to a 1994 offer by a foreign intermediary to provide P-l centrifuge documentation and components to an "Iranian company unrelated to the AEOI." Why would a company unrelated to Iran's Atomic Energy Organization be engaged in discussions with a foreign intermediary regarding P-l centrifuges? We hope the IAEA would inform the Board of any further information about this company and its affiliations;

--As Dr. Goldschmidt confirmed, Iran failed to notify the IAEA of its plans to construct deep tunnels for storage of nuclear material near Esfahan until after the IAEA requested a Complementary Access visit. This constitutes a failure to comply not only with the provisions of Iran's Safeguards Agreement but also with the terms of the Additional Protocol. Iran's decision to construct such tunnels for future nuclear storage calls seriously into question its commitment to maintaining a suspension for any length of time;

--Iran has thus far failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for its experiments with polonium-210;

--As Dr. Goldschmidt's remarks suggest, Iran has also failed to describe the true nature of activities at the Lavizan facility before Iran razed that facility, during which time Iran delayed access to IAEA inspectors. We are deeply troubled to hear of the IAEA's concerns that the Lavizan facility may have been involved in acquiring dual-use materials useful in uranium enrichment and conversion activities. Iran's claim that the Physics Research Center (PHRC) at Lavizan was not involved in activities declarable under NPT safeguards is simply not plausible. We urge Iran to allow the IAEA to discuss its concerns in detail with the two officials, referred to by Dr. Goldschmidt, involved in the procurement activities of the PHRC, and we urge the IAEA to continue, and deepen, its investigation into possible undeclared nuclear-related activities at Lavizan and into the PHRC's role there;

--We welcome Dr. Goldschmidt's remarks regarding the IAEA's Complementary Access visit to the Gachin mine and associated mill. We look forward to hearing more from the IAEA regarding what he described as the "complex arrangements governing the current and past administration of the mine." We continue to wonder, and to ask, whether Iran's military played a role in overseeing that uranium mine, and to what purpose;

--Iran has also failed to provide a plausible explanation regarding the timing of its past clandestine plutonium separation experiments. We look forward to a definitive conclusion from ongoing IAEA analysis regarding the correct dates of Iran's undeclared plutonium separation experiments.

Madame Chair,

My government has made clear on numerous occasions its position that the Board of Governors must report Iran's non-compliance with its Safeguards Agreement to the United Nations Security Council. The Board has a statutory obligation to do so -- but thus far, has failed to do so. The Board cannot ignore forever its statutory responsibility to report this matter to the UNSC. Failure by Iran to implement fully its suspension pledge, and continued inability of this Agency to conclude that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran would represent a growing threat to international peace and security.

While the IAEA must continue to have a role in investigating Iran's past and ongoing nuclear activities and in monitoring its suspension pledge, the Security Council has the international legal and political authority that will be required to bring this issue to a successful and peaceful resolution. The Security Council has the authority to require that Iran take all necessary corrective measures, including those steps called for by the Board that Iran has failed to take. The Security Council has the authority to require and enforce a suspension of Iran's enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. In each of these areas, the Security Council can support and reinforce the IAEA's ability to pursue its investigations in Iran until the Agency can provide this Board with all the necessary assurances it requires.

Madame Chair,

As I have already noted, there remain an alarming number of unresolved questions about Iran's nuclear program. The Deputy Director General's briefing made clear that, despite the Agency's commendable efforts in Iran, the IAEA is still not able to provide assurances that Iran is not pursuing clandestine activities at undeclared locations--as it had been doing for years. The issue of Iran's nuclear program must command the continued vigilance of the Secretariat and of the Board of Governors. We believe the Board should receive another comprehensive written report from the Director General well in advance of the next Board meeting. Further, we would expect the Board to convene immediately to consider appropriate action if there is any further deterioration of Iran's adherence to its suspension pledge. This Board must provide appropriate policy guidance and oversight to the IAEA's ongoing investigation in order to remain effective in a world where states like Iran are willing -- and apparently able -- to cynically manipulate the nuclear nonproliferation regime in the pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Thank you, Madame Chair.

(end text)

(begin excerpts)

Excerpts about Iran
from Press Secretary Scott McClellan's
March 1 media briefing

QUESTION: Scott, his meeting with the congressional leadership, what's President Bush going to tell them about where he is on this idea, signing on to the EU-3 negotiations to provide incentives for Iran to give up its nuclear program?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think he'll give a summary of his trip. And one of the areas where there was important progress was when it comes to Iran. I think you heard Secretary Rice speak earlier today when she talked about how there was a clarity of purpose and a clear unity of purpose coming out of those meetings with our European friends. And that unity of purpose is focused on getting Iran to abandon its ambitions for a nuclear weapon, and making sure that Iran does not attain a nuclear weapon.

In terms of anything beyond that, obviously, I'll be there for the meeting and if there's anything else to share, I'll be glad to do that. But the President had some very good meetings last week; he's continued to think through some of the ideas that were discussed about how we move forward together to achieve that shared goal of making sure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon. We are all on the same page on that, and sending the same message to the Iranians.

Q: Will the President accept the idea of Iran having a peaceful and commercial nuclear program for electricity generation, or is he still insisting that they shut down that program?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, our concern has been that they are interested in developing nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. And Iran has certain international obligations that they have committed to. We want to see them live up to those obligations. We, and the international community, want to see them live up to those obligations. That means coming clean and fully cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and fully complying with those international obligations. Ultimately, we want to see the permanent end to Iran's reprocessing and enrichment activities. That will be a key to make sure that they are not developing nuclear weapons.

Q: I get the idea, though, that if they do come clean about reprocessing and enrichment, that you may give them a green light to go ahead with a civilian nuclear program.
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we've expressed how we don't think they really have a need for nuclear energy, because of their vast amounts of oil and gas resources. But they've also entered into an arrangement with the Russians for supplying -- for getting nuclear fuel for one of their plants. And we've addressed that issue yesterday, when it comes to that. What we want to do is make sure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon. And the international community is firmly behind those efforts.

.......................

Q: The Deputy Secretary General of the IAEA just came out and said a number of things, including the fact that Iran is still building a heavy-water reactor that they said they shouldn't build. They're blocking a second investigation of their equipment. And Iran, apparently, just said that they still do intend to make nuclear fuel. So given all of that, is the President still considering signing on to economic incentives?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, I don't know that I would characterize anything at this point. The President had meetings with European leaders. They talked about some ideas for the way forward. And I think you need to wait until any decision is made before you start characterizing it, because then --

Q: You've characterized it, that it's --

MR. McCLELLAN: I've not characterized it that way. Because then we --

Q: -- that it's not incorrect --

MR. McCLELLAN: I've not characterized it that way.

Q: So he's not considering --

MR. McCLELLAN: What the focus here is, is on Iran's behavior and Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. That's where the focus should be. And we all have a shared goal. What we are doing is talking about how we can support the efforts of our European friends to resolve this matter in a diplomatic way. We support the efforts of our European friends to get Iran to abandon its ambitions for a nuclear weapon. And we're talking -- we've been talking with them about the best way forward to strengthen their diplomatic efforts. And that's where the focus is and that's where it should be. It's on Iran and Iran's behavior. And Secretary Rice has continued to have discussions in London, where she's meeting with many of her counterparts.

Q: You just talked about Iran's behavior, but they are saying that they don't intend to yield on something that you are saying is critical to any kind of talks that the U.S. signs on to with the EU-3.

MR. McCLELLAN: They have committed to certain international obligations; we expect them to live up to those obligations. We expect them to come clean and to fully comply with those obligations. We expect them to provide full cooperation to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The agency, I saw, did express, the Director General expressed some concerns and said that while there may have been some progress, that he would like to see better cooperation from the Iranians in order to build some confidence, because if you recall, they spent many years hiding their activities from the international community, which, again, raises concerns about what they were pursuing.

Q: Scott, would you describe the Iranians as defiant, at this point, or cooperative?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, we will see by their action if they are serious about living up to their international obligations. They have said that they are. We will see through their actions. You can understand why we remain skeptical. That's why we're working with our European friends to resolve this in a diplomatic way.

Q: But there are critics who say that, in the face of defiance from the Iranians, now President Bush, who has taken a pretty hard line, is thinking about softening that stance and shifting policy and providing economic incentives. How do you escape the charge that even the consideration of this -- we don't know the final decision by the President, but the consideration of it is a reward for bad behavior?MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I don't think you should look at it that way at all. This is about looking at how we can support the efforts of our European friends to achieve our shared goal, which is getting Iran to end any ambitions for a nuclear weapon and making sure Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon. That's where the focus is. And that's why we had good discussions last week about how we can move forward to achieve that objective. The focus should be on Iran. It's Iran's behavior that needs to change. It's Iran's behavior that needs to come into compliance with their international obligations.

.....................

Q: And on Iran -- this is, I guess, the lawyer blood in me -- people keep referring to giving up a nuclear weapon. Shouldn't it be all nuclear weapons? I mean, that's a clear loophole.

MR. McCLELLAN: On Iran? No, we do not want them to have any nuclear weapons, period.

Q: But the phrase is consistently "a nuclear weapon." And does the administration still think the Iranian people should try to remove or overthrow their government?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President has expressed his view that we stand with the Iranian people who aspire for greater freedom. And that's another area where we want to see Iran change its behavior. There is a broader recognition these days that Iran's behavior needs to change in a number of ways. It needs to change when it comes to their desire to have a nuclear weapon; it needs to change when it comes to their continued support for terrorism; and it needs to change when it comes to their human rights record; and it needs to change when it comes to their refusal to hear the voices of the people of Iran who want to live in greater freedom.

Q: Would the U.S. give tangible military support to the Iranian people?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President has already addressed that issue.

...........................

Q: On his trip to Europe, did the President, when discussing Iran with the Europeans, insist upon or suggest any sort of diplomatic markers for progress that stay on the diplomatic track, or is it just going to be played by ear for months along the line?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think it's going to be determined by Iran's behavior. The focus, as you heard the President talk about last week, needs to be on Iran, and that's where the focus was last week. It was on making sure that Iran does not attain any nuclear weapon. And that's where we're going to keep the focus. And now we're talking about how we can do what we can to support the efforts of our European friends to achieve our shared objective.

Q: Are we going to set any sort of time line for negotiations?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think that, again, it's going to be up to Iran to see if they're going to live up to their international obligations. And that's what we've made very clear. That's what the international community has made very clear. No, I don't have anything to announce beyond what the President has said previously at this point.

................................

Q: Just one more thing on Iran. Do you think Iran's attitude would change if they had WTO membership?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that's an idea that has been expressed by some of our European friends publicly, and I'm not going to go beyond what I've previously said. The President has been thinking through some of the ideas that have been expressed by our European friends. That's where we are right now. Obviously, anytime there's WTO -- if you're applying for WTO membership, there are certain commitments you have to live up to with regards to that, as well.

http://usinfo.state.gov/usinfo/Archi...02-366593.html


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Aalam-e-soz o saz main, wasl se barh ker hai firaaq
Hijr me lazt-e-talb, wasl main marg-e-arzoo...!!!

Diplomats: Iran Building Nuclear Storage
By GEORGE JAHN Associated Press Writer

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Iran is using reinforced materials and tunneling deep underground to store nuclear components - measures meant to deter "bunker busters" and other special weapons in case of attack, diplomats said Thursday.

The diplomats spoke as a 35-nation meeting of the U.N. atomic watchdog ended more than three days of deliberations focusing on Iran and North Korea.

An agency review read at the meeting faulted Tehran for starting work on the tunnel at Isfahan without informing the International Atomic Energy Agency beforehand.

The review said Iran, following prodding by the IAEA, has in recent months provided "preliminary design information" on the tunnel in the central city that is home to the country's uranium enrichment program, and said construction began in September "to increase capacity, safety and security of nuclear material."

Earlier in the meeting, the IAEA also said Iran was ignoring calls to scrap plans for a heavy water reactor and continuing construction. On Thursday, a diplomat described that as no secret, saying satellite imagery had revealed that work at the city of Arak had progressed to the point where crews "were pouring the foundations."

Experts estimate the Arak reactor can yield enough plutonium from its spent fuel for one bomb a year. Additionally, the nearly 40 tons of uranium Iran partially processed as part of its enrichment program could yield up to five crude bombs.

Iran has suspended work on its enrichment program pending negotiations with France, Germany and Britain. But it repeatedly has said the freeze is short-term, despite hopes that it will fully scrap its plans.

Asked for details on the tunnel, a diplomat familiar with Iran's dossier said parts of it apparently would run as deep as half a mile below ground and would be constructed of hardened concrete and other special materials meant to withstand the severest of air attacks.

Other diplomats said such moves were clearly motivated by Iranian concerns of strikes by the United States or Israel, which both accuse Tehran of trying to secretly build nuclear weapons. All the envoys are close to the IAEA and follow Iranian developments, and they spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Hundreds of bunker busters were used in U.S. airstrikes on hostile fortified underground command centers, living quarters and storage areas in Afghanistan and Iran.

Israel last year said it was buying about 5,000 smart bombs from the United States, including 500 1-ton bunker busters capable of destroying 6-foot-thick concrete walls, fueling speculation of possible preparation for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

While not ruling out the possibility of a U.S. attack, Washington has toned down its rhetoric against Iran. Washington is awaiting the results of European negotiations aimed at getting Tehran to renounce all plans to enrich uranium in exchange for economic concessions and other forms of support - and is even considering backing such incentives.

Uranium enrichment is "dual use" - meaning it can generate fuel for nuclear power as well as form the core of warheads.

President Bush said fears that Washington was preparing an attack were "ridiculous," but he nonetheless said last week that "all options are on the table."

Iran links its fear of attack to a decision to bar U.N. nuclear inspectors from some sensitive sites during debate at the Vienna meeting, a gathering of the IAEA board of governors.

Suggesting that leaks could be exploited by Iran's enemies, senior Iranian envoy Sirous Nasseri said Tehran's worries about "confidentiality of information" gathered on such visits "are more intense in view of potential threats of military strikes against ... facilities visited by (the) agency."

IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei said the "ball is very much in Iran's court to come clean" by cooperating to clear lingering suspicions about possible nuclear weapons ambitions.

Still, the agency has not been able to support U.S. assertions that nearly 20 years of Iran's covert nuclear programs discovered more than two years ago were aimed at making nuclear weapons - not generating electricity, as Tehran claims.

On North Korea, its other main concern, the meeting urged Pyongyang to return to six-party negotiations over its nuclear program and to let the agency return to monitoring its atomic activities.

The threat represented by North Korea is "a serious challenge ... to peace and stability in Northeast Asia," and to attempts to control the global spread of nuclear weapons, a board statement said.

In a separate attempt to defuse the North Korean threat, top U.S. and Chinese officials in Seoul discussed tactics meant to lure Pyongyang back to the multiparty talks.

International efforts to bring North Korea back to the talks have gained urgency since Pyongyang's Feb. 10 claim that it had built nuclear weapons and would boycott international disarmament talks indefinitely.


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IAEA blasts Iran over nuclear row

VIENNA: Iran was taken to task for lack of co-operation with international nuclear investigations at a UN atomic agency meeting which wrapped up yesterday but room was left for European Union-Iran talks that seek guarantees Tehran is not developing atomic weapons.

For the first time since the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) began a probe of Iran's nuclear programme in February 2003, its board of governors did not adopt either a formal statement or resolution on the matter at what are regular meetings at the agency's headquarters in Vienna.

Diplomats said this was at least in part because the initiative has passed to talks taking place between the European Union and Iran to get Tehran to abandon uranium enrichment in return for trade and security benefits.

The IAEA's 35-nation board called on Iran to do more to co-operate with UN inspectors but also backed the EU-Iran talks.

The EU-Iran talks resume in Geneva next week, with Washington possibly ready to sign on to the European initiative by helping the EU offer credible incentives, such as helping Tehran join the World Trade Organisation or modernise its civil aviation fleet.



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Iran Would Defend Itself 'in A Second'

Iran warned it is prepared to defend itself "in a second" if attacked and followed that up Thursday by dismissing accusations of nuclear non-compliance as "baseless."

"If anyone launches attacks on our country, either on nuclear or non-nuclear sites, without any need of justification, we will start our counterattack and force them to retreat in a second," Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said on Wednesday at the 15th International Conference on the Persian Gulf, which opened on Tuesday in Teheran.

"Nobody can threat against Iran," he added.

The United States and Israel, accusing Iran of developing nuclear weapons secretly, have hinted at possible preemptive attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities. In return, Iran said it would strongly stand up to any aggression with its effective "deterrent power" in the region.

Meanwhile EU turned the heat up on Iran and its nuclear program, accusing the country of non-compliance just as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors met.

European complaints surfaced on Wednesday at a meeting of the IAEA in Vienna, where EU countries negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program expressed "regret" that Teheran had not reported the existence of an underground tunnel at the Isfahan uranium plant.

At the same time, the IAEA said Iran had refused to allow inspections of the Parchin military complex.

But an Iranian nuclear spokesman Thursday said the European Union accusation of non-compliance regarding Teheran's enriched uranium programme was "baseless."

Hussein Mussavian, spokesman of Iran's nuclear delegation team, said the issue of the tunnel had been brought in advance to the attention of the IAEA.

The EU trio of France, Germany and Britain also accused Iran of conducting quality control tests on centrifuge components despite the country's pledge to temporarily suspend uranium enrichment.

Speaking to the Iranian news network Khabar, Mussavian said "claims on the quality control tests on centrifuge components are not correct as all Iran did was some repair and maintenance work on the centrifuges which are permissible according to IAEA regulations."

(China Daily March 4, 2005)


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Iran is burrowing deep to secure nuclear gear

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Iran is tunneling deep underground and using reinforced materials to store nuclear components - measures meant to deter "bunker busters" and other special weapons in case of attack, diplomats said Thursday.

They spoke as the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, ended more than three days of deliberations focusing on Iran and North Korea.

A review by the agency said that Iran - only after IAEA prodding - recently provided "preliminary design information" on the tunnel in the central city of Isfahan, having failed to give notice of the work beforehand.

The IAEA also said Iran was ignoring calls to scrap its plans for a heavy water reactor, a plant that experts estimate could yield enough plutonium to make one bomb a year.

Iran also has about 40 tons of partly processed uranium on hand as part of its now-suspended enrichment program, enough to build five crude bombs.

Iran insists that it has no such purpose in mind, that all the material is for electricity production. Uranium enrichment is "dual use," meaning it can generate fuel for power plants or bombs.

Diplomats said the tunnel work clearly was motivated by Iranian fear of a military strike by the United States or Israel, which both accuse Tehran of trying to secretly build nuclear weapons.

All the diplomats who spoke are close to the IAEA and follow Iranian developments. They insisted on anonymity.



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Editorial: Iran & nukes/U.S. may join Europe's effort

The most important result of President Bush's trip to Europe last week happened after he got back: The president huddled with his advisers last Friday and apparently decided it would be a good thing to join the European effort to wean Iran away from nuclear weapons. Signals of that new position could come in the next week. That would be a change in strategy of potentially momentous proportions.

Heretofore, Bush has been critical of Europe's efforts to engage Iran and to reward it for agreeing to forswear nuclear arms. What changed the president's mind, his aides said, was hearing just how firm European leaders were in their belief that ultimately Iran can't be permitted to become a nuclear state. Given their unity with the United States on that strategic outcome, Bush felt he could afford to bend on the tactical approaches to getting there.

Moreover, aides said, Bush needed some action to show that his words of unity with Europe were more than just window dressing for his trip, that the change in attitude has substance.

Apparently the White House's change of heart corresponded to a change in Europe's view of his administration: After his reelection, European leaders recognized it was time to move past bellicose resentments toward Bush's policies in Iraq to find common ground on dealing with common problems, first among them Iran.

All of which is heartening. This is the way real diplomacy works: Differences are recognized but not allowed to muscle out commonalities; a focus on solving problems outweighs any desire to score political points.

What the Europeans apparently said to Bush went something like this: Look, we're with you, unequivocally, in opposition to Iran becoming a nuclear state. But your opposition to our engagement with Iran doesn't help matters. It actually reduces pressure on Iran to work with us, because it creates an impression that the United States, rather than Iran, is the odd duck in this discussion. If you join with us, we'll do much of the heavy lifting, but your support will increase our leverage. And anyway, you've got nothing to lose. If we fail, which we may, at least it wouldn't look as if you were the obstacle.

Iran clearly is a nuclear worry. Its government now has admitted, only when confronted with proof, that in the 1980s it at least flirted with buying nuclear weapons supplies from the network that A.Q. Khan was running out of Pakistan. Moreover, Iran's more recent actions have severely violated at least the spirit of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. That makes people ask why; if Iran has no nuclear ambitions beyond generating power, there'd be no apparent reason for it to be such a tough nut on providing timely and complete information to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

But it is a tough nut, and cracking it will require a united American-European effort. Happily, that effort appears set to begin.

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Rice says Iran's nuclear issue can be resolved diplomatically

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterated here Thursday that Iran's nuclear issue can be resolved in the diplomatic way.

"We believe that the Iranian situation can be resolved diplomatically. And there is a course, a path before us diplomatically. " Rice told reporters after talks with Danish Foreign Minister Stig Moeller.

The US is trying to be supportive of the EU-3 - France, Germanyand Britain - negotiations with Iran, Rice said, stressing "the EUnegotiations are leading in the right direction."

Rice reiterated that "Iran must not have a nuclear weapon," saying "there are activities going in Iran that cause the international community to be suspicious about what Iran is doing."

Rice added that the possibility of UN Security Council sanctions remained an option "if we cannot get satisfaction about Iranian activities."

Source: Xinhua


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US cites 'alarming number' of unresolved questions in Iran nuclear program

VIENNA (AFP) Mar 02, 2005
The United States cited "an alarming number" of unresolved questions about Iran's nuclear program Wednesday and warned that the UN atomic agency cannot put off "forever" taking Tehran before the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.
US ambassador Jackie Sanders told the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran has continued to deny IAEA inspectors "the transparency and cooperation they need to perform their duties" and that Tehran was "cynically" manipulating "the nuclear nonproliferation regime in the pursuit of nuclear weapons."

Sanders, who is based in Geneva but heads the US delegation to the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors meeting in Vienna this week, said "there remain an alarming number of unresolved questions about Iran's nuclear program."

Among them are why the Islamic Republic is building a heavy-water reactor that can make weapons-grade plutonium and why Iran was late in reporting on construction of "deep tunnels for storage of nuclear material" at a site that carries out the first stages of uranium enrichment.

Enrichment uses centrifuges to refine out what can be reactor fuel but also the explosive core of atom bombs.

Sanders said the IAEA cannot put off "forever" bringing Iran before the Security Council, something the United States has been seeking for almost two years as it says Tehran is in clear violation of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

"The board cannot ignore forever its statutory responsibility to report this matter" to the Council, Sanders said, according to a text of her comments made available to the press.

The Security Council would have "the authority to require that Iran take all necessary corrective measures, including those steps called for by the (IAEA) board that Iran has failed to take," Sanders said.

She said these included "the authority to require and enforce a suspension of Iran's enrichment-related and reprocessing activities."

Britain, France and Germany, which agreed with Iran on the enrichment suspension and want Tehran to make this permanent in return for trade and security benefits, joined in the US concern over Iranian failures to report fully.

The European trio said in a statement to the board that "Iran has carried out operations of cleaning and quality control on certain centrifuge components, which has caused us serious concern."

The trio said they understood the suspension "as a voluntary commitment to suspend all, meaning each and every, enrichment related activity, without exception. We urge Iran to keep to this voluntary commitment."

Iran says its suspension is temporary since the NPT gives it the right to exploit the nuclear fuel cycle for peaceful purposes and that it has corrected all reporting failures.

Sanders said IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei should report to the agency's board ahead of its next meeting in June, after not having reported to the current meeting, as this would clear the way for action against Iran if necessary.

Iranian delegation chief Cyrus Nasseri told reporters that the United States wanted to get the issue before the Security Council because it "might be in the driver's seat there" while Washington was isolated at the IAEA.

ElBaradei meanwhile also told reporters it was now up to Tehran to "come clean" on nuclear issues by allowing wider access to IAEA inspectors.

The IAEA has failed in two years of investigation to reach a conclusion as to whether Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program.

IAEA deputy director Pierre Goldschmidt had Tuesday outlined to the board key areas where Iran is refusing to cooperate with UN inspectors.

These include blocking a follow-up visit to the Parchin military facility where Washington charges Tehran is simulating testing of nuclear weapons.

Nasseri said Iran was not allowing a second visit to Parchin, after a first one in January, in part because it was concerned about information leaks "in view of potential threats of military strikes against safeguarded and other facilities visited by the agency in Iran," in a clear reference to the United States.

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Iranian commander says 190,000 US troops a target if Iran attacked

TEHRAN (AFP) Mar 02, 2005
The head of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards has warned that 190,000 US troops stationed close to the Islamic republic could be targetted if Iran were attacked, a report said Wednesday.
"More than 190,000 members of American forces are scattered in Afghanistan and Iraq. If the US carries out its threats against Iran, they nust know that all these forces will be within our reach," Yahya Rahim Safavi told the ultra-hardline Ya Lessarat newspaper.

"The US and the Zionist regime (Israel) do not have the power to confront us and we will hand them bone-breaking blows," Safavi said, adding that "Iraq is getting more unsafe everyday for America" anyway.

He also warned that if "the Zionist regime had a satanic thought and attacked Iran, we would not leave one point safe in the entire Zionist territory".

The United States and Israel both accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, and have not ruled out military options to prevent the clerical regime of acquiring the bomb.


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Iran: The Force Bush Won’t Use

Robert Scheer, LA Times

US policy toward Iran is now a big, dangerous mess. President Bush again has backed us into a corner with his confrontational framing of every dispute as one of pristine virtue versus stark evil, putting us out of sync with our allies in Europe and probably giving the ayatollahs in Tehran a public relations boost at home.

In his State of the Union address, Bush singled out Iran as “the world’s primary state sponsor of terror ... pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve.’’ For weeks we heard ominous warnings of war with Iran.

Then, last week, Bush scoffed at the idea that we were going to bomb Iran as “ridiculous,’’ even as he menacingly noted that “all options are on the table.’’ Meanwhile, Europe continued to negotiate constructively with Iran to find a peaceful solution and prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The sad fact, however, is that Bush’s irrational policies and rhetoric have left the mostly fundamentalist leaders of Iran defending a more logical position than that of our own government on three counts.

First, it is our government that has long proclaimed the wonders of something called “the peaceful uses of atomic energy’’ to counterbalance the horror of having unleashed the power of the atomic bomb on Japanese civilians in World War II. In asserting its right to build nuclear power plants, Tehran is emulating the United States.

The pact signed on Sunday in which Russia will supply the fuel for an Iranian nuclear power plant but Tehran will return spent fuel would seem to remove the threat that Iran’s now fully constructed Bushehr plant will be producing nuclear weapons material.

Second, the United States has been woefully uncaring about nuclear proliferation except when it proves politically convenient, as with the false prewar claim that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq might be close to acquiring or producing nuclear weapons.

Another example came after Sept. 11, when Washington, D.C., dropped anti-proliferation sanctions against Pakistan while Bush focused his wrath on Iraq. Ironically, it was back in 1987, when the United States was backing Saddam in his war with Iran, that Pakistan’s top scientist first made overtures to sell nuclear technology to the ayatollahs in Tehran.

Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan’s scandalous campaign to sell nuclear materials and knowledge to unstable countries such as North Korea and Libya, as well as Iran, was overlooked by successive US administrations. Apparently, it was deemed too awkward to irritate our “allies’’ in Islamabad who helped us arm the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan against the Soviets, and, after Sept. 11, were enlisted to bring some of those same Mujahedeen to justice, including Osama Bin Laden.

Even after the appalling extent of Khan’s sales ring was exposed in 2003, little was done. The Pakistan government pardoned Khan and won’t allow him to be interviewed by outsiders. Intelligence reports indicate that his black market mob may be operating again.

Finally, how can the president continue to escalate the rhetoric against Iran given that his invasion of neighboring Iraq has handed control of the country to Shiites trained in Tehran, like Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, as well as Kurds who have enjoyed significant Iranian support over the years?

So, tangled history aside, what should the United States do now about a repressive and potentially threatening government in Iran?

The one thing Bush strangely has refused to do throughout the world: Practice the principles of capitalism.

The model for such a policy, which emphasizes normal trade relations even with regimes that have religious and political obsessions different from our own, was most successfully employed by Richard Nixon in his famous opening to “Red’’ China, as well as in the detente period that should properly be credited with the ultimate fall of the Soviet empire.

The most powerful liberalizing forces the United States wields are not military, but economic and cultural.

Though not as macho as trying to spread democracy through the barrel of a gun normalization offers a better prospect of accomplishing that end, while saving billions of dollars and priceless lives.



(IMG:http://www.fresherimage.com/archive2...ue/blue017.gif)

Iran is said to build atom storage tunnels New Feature
Facility would be resistant to an attack

VIENNA Iran is using reinforced materials and tunneling deep underground to store nuclear components - measures meant to make the facility resistant to "bunker busters" and other special weaponry in case of an attack, diplomats said Thursday.
.
The diplomats spoke as a 35-country meeting of the UN atomic agency ended more than three days of deliberations focusing on Iran and North Korea, another nation of nuclear concern.
.
An agency review read at the meeting faulted Tehran for starting work on the tunnel at Isfahan without informing the International Atomic Energy Agency beforehand.
.
The review said Iran, following prodding by the IAEA, has over the past few months provided "preliminary design information" on the tunnel in the central city that is home to the country's uranium enrichment program, and said construction began in September "to increase capacity, safety and security of nuclear material."
.
The IAEA also said Iran was ignoring calls to scrap plans for a heavy water reactor and continuing construction. Commenting on that Thursday, a diplomat said satellite imagery had revealed that work in the city of Arak had progressed to the point where crews "were pouring the foundations."
.
Spent fuel from heavy water reactors can yield significant amounts of bomb-grade plutonium.
.
Asked for details on the tunnel, a diplomat familiar with Iran's dossier said parts of it would run as deep as nearly one kilometer, or about half a mile, below ground and would be constructed of hardened concrete and other special materials meant to withstand severe air attacks.
.
Other diplomats said such moves were motivated by Iranian concerns of a strike by the United States or Israel; both countries accuse Iran of trying to secretly build nuclear weapons. All of the envoys spoke on the condition of anonymity.
.
Hundreds of bunker busters were used in U.S. airstrikes on hostile fortified underground command centers, living quarters and storage areas in Afghanistan and Iran.
.
Last year Israel said it was buying about 5,000 smart bombs from Washington, including 500 1-ton bunker busters capable of destroying concrete walls as thick as two meters, or six feet, fueling speculation of possible preparation for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
.
While not ruling out the possibility of a U.S. attack, Washington has toned down its rhetoric against Iran. Washington is awaiting the results of European negotiations aimed at getting Tehran to renounce all plans to enrich uranium in exchange for economic concessions and other forms of support - and is even considering backing such incentives.
.
Uranium enrichment is "dual use," which means it can generate fuel for nuclear power as well as form the core of warheads.
.
President George W. Bush said fears that Washington was preparing an attack were "ridiculous," but he also said last week that "all options are on the table."
.
Iran links its fear of an attack to a decision, made during a debate at the Vienna meeting, a gathering of the board of governors of the IAEA, to bar UN nuclear inspectors from some sensitive sites.
.
Suggesting that leaks could be exploited by Iran's enemies, a senior Iranian envoy, Sirous Nasseri, said Tehran's worries about "confidentiality of information" gathered on such visits "are more intense in view of potential threats of military strikes" against facilities visited by the agency.
.
Earlier, Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the IAEA, said outside the meeting that the "ball is very much in Iran's court to come clean" by cooperating to clear lingering suspicions about possible nuclear weapons ambitions. Still, the agency has not been able to support U.S. assertions that Iran's programs are aimed at making nuclear weapons.
.
On North Korea, the agency's other main concern, the meeting urged Pyongyang to return to six-party negotiations over its nuclear program, and to let the agency return to monitoring its atomic activities.
.
The threat represented by North Korea is "a serious challenge" to "peace and stability in Northeast Asia," and to attempts to control the global spread of nuclear weapons, said a board statement issued Thursday.
.
In a separate attempt to defuse the North Korean threat, top U.S. and Chinese officials in Seoul discussed tactics meant to lure Pyongyang back to the multiparty talks.
.
International efforts to bring North Korea back to the discussions have gained urgency since Pyongyang said on Feb. 10 that it had built nuclear weapons and would boycott international disarmament talks indefinitely.
.
.
See more of the world that matters - click here for home delivery of the International Herald Tribune.
.


VIENNA Iran is using reinforced materials and tunneling deep underground to store nuclear components - measures meant to make the facility resistant to "bunker busters" and other special weaponry in case of an attack, diplomats said Thursday.
.
The diplomats spoke as a 35-country meeting of the UN atomic agency ended more than three days of deliberations focusing on Iran and North Korea, another nation of nuclear concern.
.
An agency review read at the meeting faulted Tehran for starting work on the tunnel at Isfahan without informing the International Atomic Energy Agency beforehand.
.
The review said Iran, following prodding by the IAEA, has over the past few months provided "preliminary design information" on the tunnel in the central city that is home to the country's uranium enrichment program, and said construction began in September "to increase capacity, safety and security of nuclear material."
.
The IAEA also said Iran was ignoring calls to scrap plans for a heavy water reactor and continuing construction. Commenting on that Thursday, a diplomat said satellite imagery had revealed that work in the city of Arak had progressed to the point where crews "were pouring the foundations."
.
Spent fuel from heavy water reactors can yield significant amounts of bomb-grade plutonium.
.
Asked for details on the tunnel, a diplomat familiar with Iran's dossier said parts of it would run as deep as nearly one kilometer, or about half a mile, below ground and would be constructed of hardened concrete and other special materials meant to withstand severe air attacks.
.
Other diplomats said such moves were motivated by Iranian concerns of a strike by the United States or Israel; both countries accuse Iran of trying to secretly build nuclear weapons. All of the envoys spoke on the condition of anonymity.
.
Hundreds of bunker busters were used in U.S. airstrikes on hostile fortified underground command centers, living quarters and storage areas in Afghanistan and Iran.
.
Last year Israel said it was buying about 5,000 smart bombs from Washington, including 500 1-ton bunker busters capable of destroying concrete walls as thick as two meters, or six feet, fueling speculation of possible preparation for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
.
While not ruling out the possibility of a U.S. attack, Washington has toned down its rhetoric against Iran. Washington is awaiting the results of European negotiations aimed at getting Tehran to renounce all plans to enrich uranium in exchange for economic concessions and other forms of support - and is even considering backing such incentives.
.
Uranium enrichment is "dual use," which means it can generate fuel for nuclear power as well as form the core of warheads.
.
President George W. Bush said fears that Washington was preparing an attack were "ridiculous," but he also said last week that "all options are on the table."
.
Iran links its fear of an attack to a decision, made during a debate at the Vienna meeting, a gathering of the board of governors of the IAEA, to bar UN nuclear inspectors from some sensitive sites.
.
Suggesting that leaks could be exploited by Iran's enemies, a senior Iranian envoy, Sirous Nasseri, said Tehran's worries about "confidentiality of information" gathered on such visits "are more intense in view of potential threats of military strikes" against facilities visited by the agency.
.
Earlier, Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the IAEA, said outside the meeting that the "ball is very much in Iran's court to come clean" by cooperating to clear lingering suspicions about possible nuclear weapons ambitions. Still, the agency has not been able to support U.S. assertions that Iran's programs are aimed at making nuclear weapons.
.
On North Korea, the agency's other main concern, the meeting urged Pyongyang to return to six-party negotiations over its nuclear program, and to let the agency return to monitoring its atomic activities.
.
The threat represented by North Korea is "a serious challenge" to "peace and stability in Northeast Asia," and to attempts to control the global spread of nuclear weapons, said a board statement issued Thursday.
.
In a separate attempt to defuse the North Korean threat, top U.S. and Chinese officials in Seoul discussed tactics meant to lure Pyongyang back to the multiparty talks.
.
International efforts to bring North Korea back to the discussions have gained urgency since Pyongyang said on Feb. 10 that it had built nuclear weapons and would boycott international disarmament talks indefinitely.
.
.
See more of the world that matters - click here for home delivery of the International Herald Tribune.
.


VIENNA Iran is using reinforced materials and tunneling deep underground to store nuclear components - measures meant to make the facility resistant to "bunker busters" and other special weaponry in case of an attack, diplomats said Thursday.
.
The diplomats spoke as a 35-country meeting of the UN atomic agency ended more than three days of deliberations focusing on Iran and North Korea, another nation of nuclear concern.
.
An agency review read at the meeting faulted Tehran for starting work on the tunnel at Isfahan without informing the International Atomic Energy Agency beforehand.
.
The review said Iran, following prodding by the IAEA, has over the past few months provided "preliminary design information" on the tunnel in the central city that is home to the country's uranium enrichment program, and said construction began in September "to increase capacity, safety and security of nuclear material."
.
The IAEA also said Iran was ignoring calls to scrap plans for a heavy water reactor and continuing construction. Commenting on that Thursday, a diplomat said satellite imagery had revealed that work in the city of Arak had progressed to the point where crews "were pouring the foundations."
.
Spent fuel from heavy water reactors can yield significant amounts of bomb-grade plutonium.
.
Asked for details on the tunnel, a diplomat familiar with Iran's dossier said parts of it would run as deep as nearly one kilometer, or about half a mile, below ground and would be constructed of hardened concrete and other special materials meant to withstand severe air attacks.
.
Other diplomats said such moves were motivated by Iranian concerns of a strike by the United States or Israel; both countries accuse Iran of trying to secretly build nuclear weapons. All of the envoys spoke on the condition of anonymity.
.
Hundreds of bunker busters were used in U.S. airstrikes on hostile fortified underground command centers, living quarters and storage areas in Afghanistan and Iran.
.
Last year Israel said it was buying about 5,000 smart bombs from Washington, including 500 1-ton bunker busters capable of destroying concrete walls as thick as two meters, or six feet, fueling speculation of possible preparation for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
.
While not ruling out the possibility of a U.S. attack, Washington has toned down its rhetoric against Iran. Washington is awaiting the results of European negotiations aimed at getting Tehran to renounce all plans to enrich uranium in exchange for economic concessions and other forms of support - and is even considering backing such incentives.
.
Uranium enrichment is "dual use," which means it can generate fuel for nuclear power as well as form the core of warheads.
.
President George W. Bush said fears that Washington was preparing an attack were "ridiculous," but he also said last week that "all options are on the table."
.
Iran links its fear of an attack to a decision, made during a debate at the Vienna meeting, a gathering of the board of governors of the IAEA, to bar UN nuclear inspectors from some sensitive sites.
.
Suggesting that leaks could be exploited by Iran's enemies, a senior Iranian envoy, Sirous Nasseri, said Tehran's worries about "confidentiality of information" gathered on such visits "are more intense in view of potential threats of military strikes" against facilities visited by the agency.
.
Earlier, Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the IAEA, said outside the meeting that the "ball is very much in Iran's court to come clean" by cooperating to clear lingering suspicions about possible nuclear weapons ambitions. Still, the agency has not been able to support U.S. assertions that Iran's programs are aimed at making nuclear weapons.
.
On North Korea, the agency's other main concern, the meeting urged Pyongyang to return to six-party negotiations over its nuclear program, and to let the agency return to monitoring its atomic activities.
.
The threat represented by North Korea is "a serious challenge" to "peace and stability in Northeast Asia," and to attempts to control the global spread of nuclear weapons, said a board statement issued Thursday.
.
In a separate attempt to defuse the North Korean threat, top U.S. and Chinese officials in Seoul discussed tactics meant to lure Pyongyang back to the multiparty talks.
.
International efforts to bring North Korea back to the discussions have gained urgency since Pyongyang said on Feb. 10 that it had built nuclear weapons and would boycott international disarmament talks indefinitely.
.
.
See more of the world that matters - click here for home delivery of the International Herald Tribune.
.
< < Back to Start of Article Facility would be resistant to an attack

VIENNA Iran is using reinforced materials and tunneling deep underground to store nuclear components - measures meant to make the facility resistant to "bunker busters" and other special weaponry in case of an attack, diplomats said Thursday.
.
The diplomats spoke as a 35-country meeting of the UN atomic agency ended more than three days of deliberations focusing on Iran and North Korea, another nation of nuclear concern.
.
An agency review read at the meeting faulted Tehran for starting work on the tunnel at Isfahan without informing the International Atomic Energy Agency beforehand.
.
The review said Iran, following prodding by the IAEA, has over the past few months provided "preliminary design information" on the tunnel in the central city that is home to the country's uranium enrichment program, and said construction began in September "to increase capacity, safety and security of nuclear material."
.
The IAEA also said Iran was ignoring calls to scrap plans for a heavy water reactor and continuing construction. Commenting on that Thursday, a diplomat said satellite imagery had revealed that work in the city of Arak had progressed to the point where crews "were pouring the foundations."
.
Facility would be resistant to an attack

VIENNA Iran is using reinforced materials and tunneling deep underground to store nuclear components - measures meant to make the facility resistant to "bunker busters" and other special weaponry in case of an attack, diplomats said Thursday.
.
The diplomats spoke as a 35-country meeting of the UN atomic agency ended more than three days of deliberations focusing on Iran and North Korea, another nation of nuclear concern.
.
An agency review read at the meeting faulted Tehran for starting work on the tunnel at Isfahan without informing the International Atomic Energy Agency beforehand.
.
The review said Iran, following prodding by the IAEA, has over the past few months provided "preliminary design information" on the tunnel in the central city that is home to the country's uranium enrichment program, and said construction began in September "to increase capacity, safety and security of nuclear material."
.
The IAEA also said Iran was ignoring calls to scrap plans for a heavy water reactor and continuing construction. Commenting on that Thursday, a diplomat said satellite imagery had revealed that work in the city of Arak had progressed to the point where crews "were pouring the foundations."
.
Spent fuel from heavy water reactors can yield significant amounts of bomb-grade plutonium.
.
Asked for details on the tunnel, a diplomat familiar with Iran's dossier said parts of it would run as deep as nearly one kilometer, or about half a mile, below ground and would be constructed of hardened concrete and other special materials meant to withstand severe air attacks.
.
Other diplomats said such moves were motivated by Iranian concerns of a strike by the United States or Israel; both countries accuse Iran of trying to secretly build nuclear weapons. All of the envoys spoke on the condition of anonymity.
.
Hundreds of bunker busters were used in U.S. airstrikes on hostile fortified underground command centers, living quarters and storage areas in Afghanistan and Iran.
.
Last year Israel said it was buying about 5,000 smart bombs from Washington, including 500 1-ton bunker busters capable of destroying concrete walls as thick as two meters, or six feet, fueling speculation of possible preparation for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
.
While not ruling out the possibility of a U.S. attack, Washington has toned down its rhetoric against Iran. Washington is awaiting the results of European negotiations aimed at getting Tehran to renounce all plans to enrich uranium in exchange for economic concessions and other forms of support - and is even considering backing such incentives.
.
Uranium enrichment is "dual use," which means it can generate fuel for nuclear power as well as form the core of warheads.
.
President George W. Bush said fears that Washington was preparing an attack were "ridiculous," but he also said last week that "all options are on the table."
.
Iran links its fear of an attack to a decision, made during a debate at the Vienna meeting, a gathering of the board of governors of the IAEA, to bar UN nuclear inspectors from some sensitive sites.
.
Suggesting that leaks could be exploited by Iran's enemies, a senior Iranian envoy, Sirous Nasseri, said Tehran's worries about "confidentiality of information" gathered on such visits "are more intense in view of potential threats of military strikes" against facilities visited by the agency.
.
Earlier, Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the IAEA, said outside the meeting that the "ball is very much in Iran's court to come clean" by cooperating to clear lingering suspicions about possible nuclear weapons ambitions. Still, the agency has not been able to support U.S. assertions that Iran's programs are aimed at making nuclear weapons.
.
On North Korea, the agency's other main concern, the meeting urged Pyongyang to return to six-party negotiations over its nuclear program, and to let the agency return to monitoring its atomic activities.
.
The threat represented by North Korea is "a serious challenge" to "peace and stability in Northeast Asia," and to attempts to control the global spread of nuclear weapons, said a board statement issued Thursday.
.
In a separate attempt to defuse the North Korean threat, top U.S. and Chinese officials in Seoul discussed tactics meant to lure Pyongyang back to the multiparty talks.
.
International efforts to bring North Korea back to the discussions have gained urgency since Pyongyang said on Feb. 10 that it had built nuclear weapons and would boycott international disarmament talks indefinitely.
.
.
See more of the world that matters - click here for home delivery of the International Herald Tribune.
.
< < Back to Start of Article Facility would be resistant to an attack

VIENNA Iran is using reinforced materials and tunneling deep underground to store nuclear components - measures meant to make the facility resistant to "bunker busters" and other special weaponry in case of an attack, diplomats said Thursday.
.
The diplomats spoke as a 35-country meeting of the UN atomic agency ended more than three days of deliberations focusing on Iran and North Korea, another nation of nuclear concern.
.
An agency review read at the meeting faulted Tehran for starting work on the tunnel at Isfahan without informing the International Atomic Energy Agency beforehand.
.
The review said Iran, following prodding by the IAEA, has over the past few months provided "preliminary design information" on the tunnel in the central city that is home to the country's uranium enrichment program, and said construction began in September "to increase capacity, safety and security of nuclear material."
.
The IAEA also said Iran was ignoring calls to scrap plans for a heavy water reactor and continuing construction. Commenting on that Thursday, a diplomat said satellite imagery had revealed that work in the city of Arak had progressed to the point where crews "were pouring the foundations."
.
Spent fuel from heavy water reactors can yield significant amounts of bomb-grade plutonium.
.
Asked for details on the tunnel, a diplomat familiar with Iran's dossier said parts of it would run as deep as nearly one kilometer, or about half a mile, below ground and would be constructed of hardened concrete and other special materials meant to withstand severe air attacks.
.
Other diplomats said such moves were motivated by Iranian concerns of a strike by the United States or Israel; both countries accuse Iran of trying to secretly build nuclear weapons. All of the envoys spoke on the condition of anonymity.
.
Hundreds of bunker busters were used in U.S. airstrikes on hostile fortified underground command centers, living quarters and storage areas in Afghanistan and Iran.
.
Last year Israel said it was buying about 5,000 smart bombs from Washington, including 500 1-ton bunker busters capable of destroying concrete walls as thick as two meters, or six feet, fueling speculation of possible preparation for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
.
While not ruling out the possibility of a U.S. attack, Washington has toned down its rhetoric against Iran. Washington is awaiting the results of European negotiations aimed at getting Tehran to renounce all plans to enrich uranium in exchange for economic concessions and other forms of support - and is even considering backing such incentives.
.
Uranium enrichment is "dual use," which means it can generate fuel for nuclear power as well as form the core of warheads.
.
President George W. Bush said fears that Washington was preparing an attack were "ridiculous," but he also said last week that "all options are on the table."
.
Iran links its fear of an attack to a decision, made during a debate at the Vienna meeting, a gathering of the board of governors of the IAEA, to bar UN nuclear inspectors from some sensitive sites.
.
Suggesting that leaks could be exploited by Iran's enemies, a senior Iranian envoy, Sirous Nasseri, said Tehran's worries about "confidentiality of information" gathered on such visits "are more intense in view of potential threats of military strikes" against facilities visited by the agency.
.
Earlier, Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the IAEA, said outside the meeting that the "ball is very much in Iran's court to come clean" by cooperating to clear lingering suspicions about possible nuclear weapons ambitions. Still, the agency has not been able to support U.S. assertions that Iran's programs are aimed at making nuclear weapons.
.
On North Korea, the agency's other main concern, the meeting urged Pyongyang to return to six-party negotiations over its nuclear program, and to let the agency return to monitoring its atomic activities.
.
The threat represented by North Korea is "a serious challenge" to "peace and stability in Northeast Asia," and to attempts to control the global spread of nuclear weapons, said a board statement issued Thursday.
.
In a separate attempt to defuse the North Korean threat, top U.S. and Chinese officials in Seoul discussed tactics meant to lure Pyongyang back to the multiparty talks.
.
International efforts to bring North Korea back to the discussions have gained urgency since Pyongyang said on Feb. 10 that it had built nuclear weapons and would boycott international disarmament talks indefinitely.
.
.
See more of the world that matters - click here for home delivery of the International Herald Tribune.
--------------
.
<

VIENNA Iran is using reinforced materials and tunneling deep underground to store nuclear components - measures meant to make the facility resistant to "bunker busters" and other special weaponry in case of an attack, diplomats said Thursday.
.
The diplomats spoke as a 35-country meeting of the UN atomic agency ended more than three days of deliberations focusing on Iran and North Korea, another nation of nuclear concern.
.
An agency review read at the meeting faulted Tehran for starting work on the tunnel at Isfahan without informing the International Atomic Energy Agency beforehand.
.
The review said Iran, following prodding by the IAEA, has over the past few months provided "preliminary design information" on the tunnel in the central city that is home to the country's uranium enrichment program, and said construction began in September "to increase capacity, safety and security of nuclear material."
.
The IAEA also said Iran was ignoring calls to scrap plans for a heavy water reactor and continuing construction. Commenting on that Thursday, a diplomat said satellite imagery had revealed that work in the city of Arak had progressed to the point where crews "were pouring the foundations."
.
Spent fuel from heavy water reactors can yield significant amounts of bomb-grade plutonium.
.
Asked for details on the tunnel, a diplomat familiar with Iran's dossier said parts of it would run as deep as nearly one kilometer, or about half a mile, below ground and would be constructed of hardened concrete and other special materials meant to withstand severe air attacks.
.
Other diplomats said such moves were motivated by Iranian concerns of a strike by the United States or Israel; both countries accuse Iran of trying to secretly build nuclear weapons. All of the envoys spoke on the condition of anonymity.
.
Hundreds of bunker busters were used in U.S. airstrikes on hostile fortified underground command centers, living quarters and storage areas in Afghanistan and Iran.
.
Last year Israel said it was buying about 5,000 smart bombs from Washington, including 500 1-ton bunker busters capable of destroying concrete walls as thick as two meters, or six feet, fueling speculation of possible preparation for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
.
While not ruling out the possibility of a U.S. attack, Washington has toned down its rhetoric against Iran. Washington is awaiting the results of European negotiations aimed at getting Tehran to renounce all plans to enrich uranium in exchange for economic concessions and other forms of support - and is even considering backing such incentives.
.
Uranium enrichment is "dual use," which means it can generate fuel for nuclear power as well as form the core of warheads.
.
President George W. Bush said fears that Washington was preparing an attack were "ridiculous," but he also said last week that "all options are on the table."
.
Iran links its fear of an attack to a decision, made during a debate at the Vienna meeting, a gathering of the board of governors of the IAEA, to bar UN nuclear inspectors from some sensitive sites.
.
Suggesting that leaks could be exploited by Iran's enemies, a senior Iranian envoy, Sirous Nasseri, said Tehran's worries about "confidentiality of information" gathered on such visits "are more intense in view of potential threats of military strikes" against facilities visited by the agency.
.
Earlier, Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the IA


--------------------
Rogue scientist gave Iran nuclear parts

A rogue scientist who is at the heart of an international nuclear black market investigation gave centrifuges to Iran, a Pakistani minister said today.

The information minister insisted the Pakistan government knew nothing about the transfer.

It was the first time the Pakistani government has acknowledged that Abdul Qadeer Khan actually gave material to Iran, though they have admitted in the past that his group sold technology and blueprints to several countries.

www.breakingnews.ie
----------------


Fresh US incentives to woo Iran


By Anwar Iqbal

WASHINGTON, March 11: In a major departure from its policy of isolating Iran diplomatically and economically, the Bush administration on Friday dropped its objection to the Muslim nation joining the World Trade Organization and offered to sale airline parts to the country.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the move aimed at supporting efforts by three European nations Britain, France and Germany to persuade Iran to abandon its nuclear programme in return for economic incentives and promises of better ties with the Western world.

Today's announcement demonstrates that we are prepared to take practical steps to support European efforts to this end. The spotlight must remain on Iran, and on its obligation to live up to its international commitments, she said.

Iran rejects the claim as incorrect and says its nuclear programme aims at producing electricity. The US rejects the Iranian explanation saying that a country rich in natural energy resources does not need nuclear power to produce electricity.

On Nov 14, Iran accepted a new deal put forward by French, British and German diplomats, known as EU3, committing to bring an immediate end to all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities.

"In order to support the EU3's diplomacy, the president has decided that the US will drop its objection to Iran's application to the World Trade Organization and will consider, on a case-by-case basis, the licensing of spare parts for Iranian civilian aircraft, in particular from the European Union to Iran," Ms Rice said in a statement issued in Washington.

The statement added that Washington shared EU concerns on Iran's human rights record and its support of groups such as Hezbollah, which are on the State Department list of foreign terrorist organizations.

The Europeans have been very clear with the Iranians that there will have to be certain objective guarantees that Iran is not trying to use a civilian nuclear programme to provide cover for a weapons program, Ms Rice said.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/03/12/top13.htm

(IMG:http://www.fresherimage.com/archive2...ue/blue017.gif)

US offers WTO inducement to tempt Iran out of nuclear program(AFP)

12 March 2005

WASHINGTON - The United States said Friday it would drop objections to Iran joining the World Trade Organisation even as President George W. Bush warned Teheran that it must abandon any quest for nuclear weapons for world peace.


Separately, US vice president Dick Cheney said in a television interview that Iran must end its nuclear weapon ambitions, or run the risk of “stronger” US action.

Bush and other top US officials said the WTO initiative was aimed at helping efforts by Britain, France and Germany to persuade Iran to end its suspect nuclear programme.

The United States and its allies will “speak with one voice to the Iranian regime that they should abandon any ambitions for nuclear weapons for the sake of peace in the world,” said the US president.

“I look forward to working with our European friends to make it abundantly clear to the Iranian regime that the free world will not tolerate them having a nuclear weapon,” Bush said on a trip to Louisiana.

The European nations have sought to persuade the Islamic republic to end its uranium enrichment drive in return for economic, technological and political incentives. The United States has been pressing for suspicions that Iran is developing nuclear weapons to be taken up by the UN Security Council.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Fox News, Cheney said if “the Iranians don’t live up to their obligations and their international commitments to forego a nuclear program, then obviously we’ll have to take stronger action.”

Cheney said if Tehran is only interested in civilian nuclear power, it could acquire reactor fuel from several different commercial sources.

As part of the new US initiative, Washington will consider “on a case-by-case basis, the licensing of spare parts for Iranian civilian aircraft, in particular from the European Union to Iran,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement.

But Rice also emphasised: “The Europeans have been very clear with the Iranians that there will have to be certain objective guarantees that Iran is not trying to use a civilian nuclear programme to provide cover for a weapons programme.”

“We share the desire of European Governments to secure Iran’s adherence to its obligations through peaceful and diplomatic means,” she added.

The announcement “demonstrates that we are prepared to take practical steps to support European efforts to this end. The spotlight must remain on Iran, and on Iran’s obligation to live up to its international commitments,” Rice said.

Iran insists its programme is purely for civilian energy needs.

In Tehran, a top Iranian conservative cleric accused the United States and Europe of using the atomic weapon allegations as a pretext to deprive the Islamic republic of nuclear technology.

“The West is lying when they say they are afraid of Iran with an atomic weapon, the reality is that they want to deprive us from gaining science and technology,” Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani said during a Friday prayers sermon broadcast live on Iranian state radio.

Kashani added: “This regime and nation does not need and want an atomic bomb, and it will not heed your demands, since every youth is an atomic bomb.”

Rice reaffirmed “grave suspicions” that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, after a meeting in Washington with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk. She highlighted that the ”suspicious activities” are being tracked by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“There is very often too much talk about what the United States needs to do or what the European Union needs to do. We can now return the focus to what the Iranians need to do.”

Rice said there was no “specific timetable” for progress on Iran’s nuclear programme.

“I certainly hope that this will succeed. We’re trying to help to give it its best chance to succeed. But now Iran faces a choice and the world will know whether Iran intends to do that.”

A US official, who requested anonymity, said the dropping of the WTO membership objections did not constitute a new stance towards Iran.

“I don’t think we would call it a dramatic shift in our relationship with Iran,” the official said.

“The way to think about this is basically we gave a couple chips to the Europeans to play in their negotiations with the Iranians.”

Also on Friday, French defense minister Michele Alliot-Marie told reporters, during a visit to Harvard University, that a common US-European front to the issue of Iran’s nuclear ambitions is the best policy.

“It’s a worrying problem, the possible creation of a nuclear weapon, and a common front will provide the best results,” Alliot-Marie said.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayA...iddleeast&col=



(IMG:http://www.fresherimage.com/archive2...ue/blue017.gif)

Iran dismisses U.S. policy shift

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States has dropped its opposition to Iran's application for membership in the World Trade Organization in an effort to bolster European negotiations with the Tehran regime over its nuclear program.

The three European countries negotiating with Iran -- Britain, Germany and France -- had been pressing the Bush administration to drop American opposition to Iran trying to enter the WTO, which facilitates trade between nations.

Those nations, in return, agreed to send the dispute with Iran to the U.N. Security Council if the Iranians fail to fulfill their international agreements, including a promise to halt uranium enrichment.

"I am pleased that we are speaking with one voice with our European friends," U.S. President Bush told a crowd in Shreveport, Louisiana.

"I look forward to working with our European friends to make it abundantly clear to the Iranian regime that the free world will not tolerate them having a nuclear weapon."

But a senior Iranian negotiator in nuclear talks with the European Union, Cyrus Naseri, dismissed the U.S. move as a mere gesture, saying "it is too ridiculous to be called an offer."

"It is like trading a lion for a mouse," he told CNN. "Would the United States be prepared to give up its own nuclear fuel production against a cargo of pistachios delivered in truckloads?"

Pistachios are an Iranian export.

He said the U.S. deciding not to oppose Iran's entrance into the WTO "is really not something so significant that we could even discuss it as a tradeoff for anything at all."

The European countries were already obligated by treaty to pursue Iran entrance into the WTO, he said, calling it "in the interest of Europe as much as it is in the interest of Iran."

And, he added, Iran is negotiating with the European countries, not with the United States, and "what we are negotiating is that we will pursue our nuclear fuel production, which is aimed for our own nuclear power generation, and that it will be monitored properly by IAEA so it will not be diverted for military purposes."

Iran maintains that its nuclear program, which it is building with Russian assistance, is solely for the production of nuclear energy and that it has no plans to use it to build nuclear weapons.

But the Bush administration -- skeptical that oil-rich Iran really has a burning need for nuclear power -- believes Iran is trying to cloak a covert nuclear weapons program in the guise of a civilian program.

The United States has refused to enter the European negotiations with Iran, which President Bush branded in 2002 as part of the "axis of evil."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the U.S. policy shift in a statement, saying it was being done "in order to support the European diplomacy.

The United States will also consider, on a case-by-case basis, the licensing of spare parts for Iranian civilian aircraft, in particular from the European Union to Iran, she said.

"The key here was to establish with our European allies a common agenda, a common approach to the issue of getting the Iranians to live up to the international obligations which they have undertaken," she told reporters in Washington.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Friday that "the point, I think, for Iran is they do have an opportunity."

"They have an opportunity here if they're willing to take it," he said.

In a letter to the European Union updating the status of the talks with Iran, the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany said "while progress is not as fast as we would wish, we believe we are moving in the right direction."

"We should have at least preliminary results to show from the negotiations in the period ahead," said the letter, co-signed by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

However, if Iran does not fulfill its international commitments, including ceasing nuclear enrichment and reprocessing activities, then "we shall have no choice but to support referring Iran's nuclear program to the U.N. Security Council" -- a move which the United States has been pushing.

The European leaders said they were "united in our determination that Iran should not acquire a nuclear weapons capability" and "remain committed to pursuing all diplomatic means to resolve the outstanding issues through negotiation."

They are offering Iran incentives, including support for energy programs and economic assistance.

The United States has insisted that any offer of incentives must also include clear consequences if Iran refuses the offer.

According to the European negotiators, the Iranians are seeking a number of trade-related incentives, including reducing Iran's trade deficit with Europe, gaining easier access to export licenses and technology transfers and encouraging more European companies to import Iranian goods.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/...ran/index.html

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Iran Nuclear 'Nightmare' Very Close, Israel

By Alistair Bell
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Israel said on Friday that Iran was very close to being able to make a nuclear bomb and urged the United States and Europe to pressure Tehran to abandon a suspected nuclear arms program.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Reuters an Iranian nuclear bomb would be a "nightmare" for Israel and other countries.

"In our view, they are very close, they are too close, to having the knowledge to develop this kind of bomb and that's why we should be in a hurry," Shalom said in an interview on a visit to Mexico.

Pakistan acknowledged this week for the first time a disgraced Pakistani scientist at the center of a nuclear black market gave Iran centrifuges which can be used to make atomic weapons.

Shalom would not put a date on when Israel thought its bitter foe Iran could have nuclear arms, which he said could eventually take nuclear weapons to the heart of Europe because Tehran is developing new long-range missiles.

"The idea that this tyranny of Iran will hold a nuclear bomb is a nightmare not only for us but for the whole world," Shalom said.

Israeli warplanes bombed Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in a daring raid in 1981 to prevent it from making atomic bombs.

Observers have speculated Israel might launch a similar strike against Iranian facilities, but Shalom played down the military option against Iran.

"We believe that diplomacy is the only way to deal with this issue," he told a meeting of academics and journalists.

The United States and Europe launched a coordinated push on Friday to get Iran to abandon its suspected nuclear arms program by offering economic incentives as a carrot and possible U.N. action as a stick.

"I am very satisfied with the European and American determination in asking the Iranians to comply with the understanding they achieved with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European countries," Shalom said. Continued ...

© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=7882704


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Venezuela's Chavez says Iran has 'right' to nuclear program

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez defended Iran on Friday in its dispute with the United States and Europe over its nuclear program, saying Iran has a right to atomic energy.

Iranian President Khatami, right, plans to sign a series of energy deals with Venezuelan President Chavez.
By Andrew Alvarez, AFP/Getty Images

Chavez, whose country is a leading U.S. oil supplier, announced his stance after meeting Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, who declared that both governments will stand "firm against any aggression."

"Iran has every right, like many other countries have done, to develop its atomic energy and continue its research in this field," Chavez said after top officials from both countries signed 20 cooperation agreements in areas from petrochemical projects to agriculture.

"Venezuela and Iran agree in firmly rejecting the imperialist policy of the United States."

Both countries face increasingly tense relations with the Bush administration, which has voiced concerns that Iran could be trying to acquire nuclear arms and has criticized what Chavez's opponents call a drift toward dictatorship. Iran insists its nuclear program is purely for energy uses, and Chavez has accused Washington of backing plots to oust him.

Speaking before Venezuela's congress, Khatami lamented "the injustice of the great powers that try to control the world." He said they include the United States and interfere "in other states under the precept of fighting terrorism and try to force all of humanity to follow their monopoly of power."

"What must be condemned are calls for violence, whether from terrorists or from aggressors with yearnings for domination," Khatami said.

U.S. officials said Friday they will support European diplomatic efforts to end Iran's alleged nuclear weapons ambitions by offering modest economic incentives. The European Union also revealed it will back U.S. calls to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council if it does not scrap programs linked to nuclear arms, such as uranium enrichment.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...ela-iran_x.htm


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Bush to back on economic incentives for Iran

US President George W. Bush has decided to back the plan of the European Union to offer economic incentives to Iran if it agrees to abandon any effort to build nuclear weapons, the Washington Post reported Friday.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to announce the decision as early as Friday, the newspaper reported. This is a sharp policy shift for a government that had long refused to bargain for Iran's cooperation, the newspaper quoted senior administration officials as saying.

Rice hinted at the decision yesterday before traveling to Mexico. "I think we're really coming to a common view of how to proceed," she said of her discussion with the Europeans who have taken the lead in negotiating with Iran.

"We're looking for ways to more actively support that diplomacy,but I want to be very clear that this is really not an issue of what people should be giving to Iran. This is an issue of ...keeping the spotlight on Iran which ought to be living up to its international obligation," she said.

Rice said Iran would have to commit to not using its civilian nuclear power program as an excuse for secret weapons development and would have to submit to intensive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Although she declined to discuss particular incentives, those on the table include accelerating Iran's bid to join the World Trade Organization and permitting Tehran to purchase badly-needed spare parts for its aging passenger jets.

Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick met with British, French and German officials in Washington on Tuesday to work through the details. They "share a common understanding of where our red lines are... and when we'd go to the Security Council," the Washington Post quoted an unidentified European official as reporting.

Source: Xinhua


http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/20...12_176499.html


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Venezuela and Iran seal cooperation agreement

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and visiting Iranian president Mohammed Khatami stated Friday they “will stand together and strongly against any United States aggression”.


Pte.H. Chavez & M. Khatami
"Our two peoples want peace and stand strongly to any aggression against their countries", said President Khatami who is on an official three days visit to Venezuela.
The George Bush administration has repeatedly described Iran as a “hostile” regime, one of the three members of the “evil axis”, and considers President Chavez a disturbing force in the area.

In a speech from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, which was nationally broadcasted Mr. Chavez highlighted that Venezuela and Iran are standing up against "the Washington government's imperialist aspirations".

United States insists Iran's nuclear enrichment program has a military purpose, which Teheran vehemently denies.

In "a very courageous speech a few weeks ago" said Mr. Chavez, "Khatami warned of the U.S. government's imperialist intentions ... and we have been forced to react to the same intentions".
"Like you (Iranians), we Venezuelans are also determined, very determined, to be free, and no imperialist power is going to prevail ... Iran has every right, like any other country in the world, to develop its atomic energy" stressed Mr. Chavez.
Noting that the Iranian revolution "is 20 years ahead" of the one he claims to be leading since he was first elected in 1999, President Chavez underscored that both movements have reached "a point of no return".

The two presidents signed cooperation agreements involving oil and petrochemicals; gas; construction; fisheries and mining.

It is also believed both presidents discussed the coming meeting of the Organization of Oil Producing Countries (OPEC) in Isfahan, Iran.

Caracas and Teheran have both said they would oppose any OPEC initiative at the meeting next Wednesday to increase members' production quotas in an effort to contain the ever surging price of crude.

Closing this Saturday a “most successful and productive” visit in the city of Guayana, 300 miles southeast of Caracas, Mr. Khatami and Mr. Chavez will be inaugurating a tractor assembly plant and breaking the ground for a cement plan.

http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=5249

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U.S., Allies May Have to Wait Out Iran Elections
Earlier Answer Preferred on Effort to Dissuade Tehran of Nuclear Intentions

By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, March 12, 2005; Page A14

The United States and Europe are reluctantly prepared to wait until after Iran's presidential election in June and the formation of a new government for a final answer to the new joint effort to get Tehran to abandon any ambition to develop a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. and European officials.

Their goal is to get Iran to respond sooner to the new negotiating position announced yesterday, which includes economic carrots as well as punitive sticks if Iran balks. But U.S. and European officials have also concluded that Tehran's current government is a lame duck with diminishing leverage, and any agreement it might make may not endure after the election that will bring in a new government.

"Any durable agreement will need support from the government beyond June," a European official said. Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, a reformer, will leave office after his two terms expire this summer, and many political analysts in Tehran believe a conservative is likely to win.

After the election of a new president, the United States and the European allies negotiating with Iran -- Britain, France and Germany -- will expect a swift decision from the new government, the sources said.

"What we want to do is two things: keep Iran's [nuclear energy] program as frozen as it is now and shore up the U.S.-European position that puts us in place for after the June election. But choices will then have to be made. We'll have no patience after that for protracted negotiations," a senior U.S. official said


Iran yesterday dismissed as "ludicrous" new economic incentives to get it to abandon any ambitions to develop a nuclear weapon. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced yesterday that Washington would back a European initiative offering Iran eventual membership in the World Trade Organization and access to spare parts for its aging civilian passenger jets as part of a permanent nuclear disarmament deal.

"What is being suggested is very much insignificant," said Iranian negotiator Sirus Naseri in Vienna. "In fact, it is too insignificant to comment about."

He said Tehran will not give up the right to its own nuclear fuel, a process that is legal under the Non-Proliferation Treaty but one that the United States fears Iran could subvert for military purposes. "Now that we can produce our own nuclear fuel, to give it up and rely on others to provide it would simply be ludicrous. Would the U.S. do it? Or France, Germany, Britain or the Netherlands?" Naseri said to Reuters news agency.

U.S. and European officials say Iran is just posturing -- and playing for time. They said the transatlantic allies are not discouraged by the initial reaction, particularly because the United States and Europe are now in a stronger position to put pressure on Tehran.

"The key here was to establish with our European allies a common agenda, a common approach to the issue of getting the Iranians to live up to the international obligations which they have undertaken," Rice told reporters. "There is very often too much talk about what the United States needs to do or what the European Union needs to do. We can now return the focus to what the Iranians need to do."

Rice said the Bush administration does not have a specific timetable or time limit in mind. "Obviously, these are negotiations. . . . This has been going on for some time. And I would think that if the Iranians are going to demonstrate that they are prepared to live up to their obligations that they would want to do that sooner rather than later."

Yet U.S. and European officials have discussed the implications of the political transition expected in Iran this year, both because the reform movement is in disarray and because conservatives loyal to Grand Leader Ali Khamenei are determined to wrest back the presidency, after winning back the majority in parliament last year.

"We are going to press as much as we can, but we are realistic about waiting," the European official said.

The Bush administration was out in full force yesterday giving interviews and briefings to sell its new position, which reflects a shift from years of resisting pressure to offer what could be perceived as rewards for disarmament or to engage with Iran even indirectly.

"I look forward to working with our European friends to make it abundantly clear to the Iranian regime that the free world will not tolerate them having a nuclear weapon," Bush said in Shreveport, La.

In an interview with Fox News, Vice President Cheney pointed out consequences if Iran fails to surrender control over the uranium enrichment process that can fuel nuclear reactors for energy but could also be used for weapons development.

"If the Iranians don't live up to their obligations and their international commitments to forgo a nuclear program, then obviously we'll have to take stronger action," Cheney said. As part of the new agreement, the three European allies have agreed to support a U.S. request to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council if talks break down.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...v=rss_politics

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US, EU launch joint strategy to check Iran
(Reuters)

12 March 2005

BRUSSELS — The US and Europe launched a coordinated drive yesterday to press Iran to abandon its most sensitive nuclear activity, which experts say could enable it to make the bomb.


Washington was set to announce it would offer Iran economic incentives — a start to World Trade Organisation membership talks and access to civil aircraft and spare parts — in a major policy shift requested by the Europeans.

In return, Britain, France and Germany said they would haul Teheran before the UN Security Council if it resumed uranium enrichment and nuclear reprocessing activities.

The joint strategy was a first fruit of US President George W. Bush’s trip to Europe last month and appeared to bridge, at least for now, years of transatlantic argument over whether to engage or isolate the Islamic republic.

The three European heavyweights told EU partners in a letter that “progress is not as fast as we would wish” in talks they began last December to persuade Teheran to end its most sensitive nuclear work in return for economic and political benefits.

The US accuses Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear arms. Teheran says its programme, long concealed from the UN nuclear watchdog, is purely for civilian energy purposes.

But chief Iranian negotiator Hassan Rohani insisted in an interview published yesterday that Iran would not give in to Western demands that it scrap efforts to complete the fuel cycle, which could help it make bombs.

The EU3 said that if Iran continued its suspension of all enrichment and reprocessing activities and cooperated fully with the UN’s Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, they believed the issue could be resolved at that level.

“If on the other hand, despite our efforts Iran does not do so, then as has been implicit in the agreements reached with Iran and well understood by all concerned, we shall have no choice but to support referring Iran’s nuclear programme to the United Nations Security Council,” the letter obtained by Reuters said.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayA...iddleeast&col=


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Chavez: Iran has right to nuclear program

FABIOLA SANCHEZ

Associated Press


CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez defended Iran on Friday in its dispute with the United States and Europe over its nuclear program, saying Iran has a right to atomic energy.

Chavez, whose country is a leading U.S. oil supplier, announced his stance after meeting Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, who declared that both governments will stand "firm against any aggression."

"Iran has every right, like many other countries have done, to develop its atomic energy and continue its research in this field," Chavez said after top officials from both countries signed 20 cooperation agreements in areas from petrochemical projects to agriculture.

"Venezuela and Iran agree in firmly rejecting the imperialist policy of the United States."

Both countries face increasingly tense relations with the Bush administration, which has voiced concerns that Iran could be trying to acquire nuclear arms and has criticized what Chavez's opponents call a drift toward dictatorship. Iran insists its nuclear program is purely for energy uses, and Chavez has accused Washington of backing plots to oust him.

Speaking before Venezuela's congress, Khatami lamented "the injustice of the great powers that try to control the world." He said they include the United States and interfere "in other states under the precept of fighting terrorism and try to force all of humanity to follow their monopoly of power."

"What must be condemned are calls for violence, whether from terrorists or from aggressors with yearnings for domination," Khatami said.

U.S. officials said Friday they will support European diplomatic efforts to end Iran's alleged nuclear weapons ambitions by offering modest economic incentives. The European Union also revealed it will back U.S. calls to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council if it does not scrap programs linked to nuclear arms, such as uranium enrichment.

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunhera...d/11114661.htm

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Chavez backs Iran's nuclear goals

Saturday 12 March 2005, 4:41 Makka Time, 1:41 GMT

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has defended Iran's right to pursue a nuclear energy programme, and vowed to back the country in its spat with the United States.


After a meeting with Iranian President Muhammad Khatami on Friday, Chavez said both countries rejected the imperialist policies of the United States.

"Iran has every right, like many other countries have done, to develop its atomic energy and continue its research in this field," Chavez said.

The Iranian president is on a visit to Venezuela to strengthen ties between the two countries.

Khatami said both Iran and Venezuela will stand firm against any aggression and lamented "the injustice of the great powers that try to control the world".

"What must be condemned are calls for violence, whether from terrorists or from aggressors with yearnings for domination," Khatami said.

Solidarity

"Iran and Venezuela, these two brothers, are and will be together forever," Chavez said. "Iran, confronted by the United States, has our solidarity."

"Iran has every right, like many other countries have done, to develop its atomic energy and continue its research in this field"

Hugo Chavez
Venezuelan president


"Like you, we are willing to be free from imperialism," he added.

Chavez presented Khatami with the Order of the Liberator – the country's highest decoration – calling it a symbol of their strong ties.

The meeting came five days before an Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries summit in Iran where members are to discuss stabilizing the oil market amid record-high prices.

Government officials also signed 20 agreements to cooperate in areas including petrochemical projects, economic development, agriculture and the construction of thousands of homes in Venezuela. They also approved millions of dollars in credit lines to boost trade.

Khatami will conclude his three-day visit on Saturday with a trip to open a joint-venture tractor assembly plant that is to bear his name.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...08D459E9B8.htm


--------------------

__________________
Aalam-e-soz o saz main, wasl se barh ker hai firaaq
Hijr me lazt-e-talb, wasl main marg-e-arzoo...!!!

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FM Shalom warns nuclear armed Iran would be 'nightmare'

By News Agencies

MEXICO CITY - Israel said on Friday that Iran was very close to being able to make a nuclear bomb and urged the United States and Europe to pressure Tehran to abandon a suspected nuclear arms program.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Reuters an Iranian nuclear bomb would be a "nightmare" for Israel and other countries.

"In our view, they are very close, they are too close, to having the knowledge to develop this kind of bomb and that's why we should be in a hurry," Shalom said in an interview on a visit to Mexico.

Pakistan acknowledged this week for the first time a disgraced Pakistani scientist at the center of a nuclear black market gave Iran centrifuges which can be used to make atomic weapons.

Shalom would not put a date on when Israel thought its bitter foe Iran could have nuclear arms, which he said would be a threat beyond the Middle East because Tehran is developing new long-range missiles.

"The idea that this tyranny of Iran will hold a nuclear bomb is a nightmare not only for us but for the whole world," he said.

Israeli warplanes bombed Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in a daring raid in 1981 to prevent it from making atomic bombs.

Observers have speculated Israel might launch a similar strike against Iranian facilities, but Shalom played down the military option against Iran.

"We believe that diplomacy is the only way to deal with this issue," he told a meeting of academics and journalists.

"I am very satisfied with the European and American determination in asking the Iranians to comply with the understanding they achieved with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European countries," Shalom said.

He said Iran should be reported to the UN Security Council if it resumed uranium enrichment and nuclear reprocessing activities, which could be used to develop an atomic bomb.

The minister asked Mexican President Vicente Fox at a meeting on Friday to take a tough line on Iran. Mexico is one of several dozen members of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors.

EU, US close ranks on Iran
Closing ranks, the European Union has revealed it will back U.S. calls to refer Iran to the UN Security Council if it does not scrap programs linked to nuclear arms, and America said it would support some European incentives meant to get Iran to give up the technology.

"We are united in our determination that Iran should not acquire a nuclear weapons capability," the Europeans stated in a confidential document obtained Friday by The Associated Press. If Tehran does not give up uranium enrichment, "we shall have no choice but to support referring Iran's nuclear program to the UN Security Council."

As the document - a review of talks between Iran and Germany, France and Britain for the European Union - was being circulated among EU member nations, the U.S. administration said it would shift somewhat on its policy of not offering Iran perks before it agrees to respect international norms.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters the United States will support European diplomatic efforts to end Iran's suspected nuclear weapons ambitions by dropping objections to Iran's membership in the World Trade Organization and to endorse some sales of civilian aircraft parts to Tehran.

"We share the desire of European governments to secure Iran's adherence to its obligations through peace and diplomatic means," Rice said, referring to Iran's commitments under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. "Today's announcement demonstrates that we are prepared to take practical steps to support European efforts to this end," she said.

There was no immediate response from Iran, either to Rice's comments or to the EU warning on the Security Council, which an EU official said Tehran had been informed of earlier in the day.

The moves were significant in reflecting a united trans-Atlantic front on Iran after more than two years of acrimony over what to do about Tehran's suspect nuclear activities, following revelations in 2004 that Iran was close to being able to enrich uranium after nearly two decades of clandestine activity.

Enrichment can produce lower-grade uranium for electricity - which is what Iran says it is interested in - or weapons-grade material for the core of nuclear warheads. Washington says Iran's real interests lie in making such weapons.

The developments also reversed Europe's traditional role of offering Iran carrots while the United States brandishes the stick. The Europeans had been the main impediment over the past two years in U.S. attempts to take Iran before the Security Council for alleged violations of the Nonproliferation Treaty, arguing that such a harsh move could lead Iran to quit the International Atomic Energy Agency, leaving no outside monitor of its nuclear activities.

The trans-Atlantic joining of ranks came amid indications of continued deadlock at the Europe-Iran talks over enrichment, now in their third month. The five-page EU document said "both sides have strongly held positions on this difficult issue, which remains at the core of negotiations," and an EU official familiar with the talks confirmed Iran continued to insist on its right to the technology despite European demands that it give it up.

Iran has agreed to suspend further development of its enrichment technology pending the negotiations with the Europeans. It has, however insisted the freeze would be brief.

While senior European politicians already have suggested that they would support the U.S. effort if the talks with Iran fail, the unequivocal language contained in the document was among the clearest statements yet that the EU would back Washington if the present talks fail.

Diplomats said the offers on World Trade Organization membership and spare aircraft parts were unlikely to sway Iran, which has been resisting even greater inducements.

Still the U.S. offer carried diplomatic punch - it was clearly meant to reward the firm European line and to show Tehran that there was unity in efforts to get it to renounce its enrichment plans.

The U.S. administration had up to recently opposed any concessions to Iran, which Bush has labeled part of an "Axis of Evil" because of its nuclear program and Tehran's support of militant anti-Israeli groups such as Hezbollah.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/S...ID=0&listSrc=Y


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Iran, Venezuela sign agreements

CARACAS: The presidents of Iran and Venezuela met on Friday and signed a series of oil-related and commercial accords, seeking to deepen their political alliance as both nations face increasingly tense relations with the United States.

A military band played Venezuela's national anthem as President Hugo Chavez and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammed Khatami, walked into the presidential palace to begin the talks.

The visit was Khatami's third in five years to the South American country, and the leaders' 20 agreements were in areas ranging from oil exploration to the opening of joint-venture plants to produce cement and assemble tractors.

The United States has repeatedly voiced concerns about Iran's nuclear programme and has criticised Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's socialist policies.

Chavez, in turn, has accused Washington of backing plots against him.

Opposition legislators Elias Matta said he hoped both leaders would maintain "autonomy" and not seek to take common positions in their relations with Washington.

"I believe that President Chavez has set up a scandal in terms of this situation with the United States," Matta said.

"It would be very clumsy for the government of Hugo Chavez if he tries to damage that commercial relationship," Matta added.

Venezuelan officials have said they plan to keep supplying oil to the United States, its top buyer.

But Chavez warned last week that Venezuela would stop selling oil to the United States if it attempts to "hurt" his country.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice insisted the United States "was not involved in any way" in a short-lived coup against Chavez in 2002, nor did Washington support the attempt to oust the populist leader.

US officials did not immediately make any statements about the meeting between Khatami and Chavez, which came five days before an Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries summit in Iran where members will meet amid record oil prices.

Many of the deals that were being signed on Friday focus on sharing technology, said William Izarra, Venezuela's deputy foreign minister for Asia and the Middle East.

"Iran controls technology that has allowed them to assume postures of self-sufficiency, and they are willing to give it to us," he said last week.

During his visit, Khatami also is to meet Venezuelan legislators and travel to the southeastern state of Bolivar to inaugurate the tractor assembly plant, which is being named after the Iranian leader.

The plant will be run by Venirantractor CA, a joint venture between Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana and the Iran Tractor Manufacturing Co. Some millions has been set aside for the plant, which officials say has the capacity to produce up to 5,000 tractors a year.

Chavez, a self-proclaimed revolutionary whose close friendship to Cuban leader Fidel Castro has irked Washington, returned for the talks following a trip to Uruguay, India, Qatar and France.

http://www.godubai.com/gulftoday/art...Section=Middle


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'Stronger' US action if Iran does not end nuclear weapons ambitions: Cheney

WASHINGTON - The United States will pursue "stronger action" if Iran does not abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions, Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview Friday.

The statement comes as Washington announced it would drop objections to Iran joining the World Trade Organization to support efforts by Britain, France and Germany aimed at persuading Tehran to end its suspect nuclear program.

If the Iranians are interested only in civilian nuclear power they can acquire reactor fuel from several different commercial sources, Cheney said in an interview with Fox News.

The concern is that Iran wants to enrich enough fuel to give them the capability to build a weapon, he said.

"And that's what we want to avoid," said Cheney. "But at the end of the day if the Iranians don't live up to their obligations and their international commitments to forego a nuclear program, then obviously we'll have to take stronger action."

Speaking on a trip to the southern state of Louisiana Friday, US President George W. Bush said that Washington and its allies will "speak with one voice to the Iranian regime that they should abandon any ambitions for nuclear weapons for the sake of peace in the world."


http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=38516


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Europe warns they could back U.S. calls for referring Iran to Security Council

Fri Mar 11, 71 PM ET

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - The European Union (news - web sites) has revealed it will back U.S. calls to refer Iran (news - web sites) to the UN Security Council if it does not scrap programs linked to nuclear arms and the United States said it will support some European incentives meant to persuade Iran to give up the technology.


"We are united in our determination that Iran should not acquire a nuclear-weapons capability," the Europeans stated in a confidential document obtained Friday by The Associated Press.


If Iran does not give up uranium-enrichment, "we shall have no choice but to support referring Iran's nuclear program to the UN Security Council."


As the document - a review of talks involving Iran and Germany, France and Britain for the European Union - was being circulated among EU member countries, the U.S. administration said it would shift somewhat on its policy of not offering Iran perks before it agrees to respect international norms.


U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) said the United States will support European diplomatic efforts to end Iran's suspected nuclear-weapons ambitions by dropping objections to Iran's membership in the World Trade Organization (news - web sites) and endorse some sales of civilian aircraft parts to Tehran


"We share the desire of European governments to secure Iran's adherence to its obligations through peace and diplomatic means," Rice said, referring to Iran's commitments under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.


"Today's announcement demonstrates that we are prepared to take practical steps to support European efforts to this end," she said.


There was no immediate response from Iran, either to Rice's comments or to the EU warning on the Security Council, which an EU official said Tehran had been informed of earlier in the day.


The moves were significant in reflecting a united transatlantic front on Iran after more than two years of acrimony over what to do about Tehran's suspect nuclear activities, following revelations in 2004 that Iran was close to being able to enrich uranium after nearly two decades of clandestine activity.


Enrichment can produce lower-grade uranium for electricity - which is what Iran said it is interested in - or weapons-grade material for the core of nuclear warheads. Washington said Iran's real interests lie in making such weapons.


The developments also reversed Europe's traditional role of offering Iran carrots, while the United States brandishes the stick. The Europeans had been the main impediment over the last two years in U.S. attempts to take Iran before the Security Council for alleged violations of the Non-proliferation Treaty, arguing such a harsh move could lead Iran to quit the International Atomic Energy Agency, leaving no outside monitor of its nuclear activities.


The transatlantic joining of ranks came amid indications of continued deadlock at the Europe-Iran talks over enrichment, now in their third month. The five-page EU document said "both sides have strongly held positions on this difficult issue, which remains at the core of negotiations," and an EU official familiar with the talks confirmed Iran continues to insist on its right to the technology, despite European demands it give it up.


Iran has agreed to suspend further development of its enrichment technology pending the negotiations with the Europeans. It has, however insisted the freeze would be brief.


While senior European politicians already have suggested they would support the U.S. effort if the talks with Iran fail, the unequivocal language contained in the document was among the clearest statements yet that the EU would back Washington if the present talks fail.


Diplomats said the offers on World Trade Organization membership and spare aircraft parts were unlikely to sway Iran, which has been resisting even greater inducements.


Still the U.S. offer carried diplomatic punch - it was clearly meant to reward the firm European line and to show Tehran there is unity in efforts to persuade it to renounce its enrichment plans.


The U.S. administration had up until recently opposed any concessions to Iran, which Bush has labelled part of an "Axis of Evil" because of its nuclear program and Tehran's support of militant anti-Israeli groups such as Hezbollah.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp..._on_wo/us_iran

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Iran to display seized UK boats

TEHRAN: Iran said yesterday it planned to put on display three British naval boats it seized last year, but Britain denounced the move and said talks were continuing for the vessels to be returned.

Iran's state television said the boats would be displayed on the shores of the Shatt Al Arab waterway, which divides southwestern Iran from Iraq, during Iran's New Year holidays which begin on March 21.

"This is not a constructive way to resolve this dispute," a British Foreign Office spokesman said in London, adding that talks were continuing to get the boats back.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized the three British patrol boasts, which were being delivered to Iraqi police, in the Shatt Al Arab last June and arrested eight British servicemen aboard.

The men were released after three days but their boats and equipment, including weapons and navigational gear, were kept.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story...&IssueID=27357

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CIA behind nuke transfer to Lybia

Geneva, March 12 - A Swiss citizen behind nuclear technology transfer to Libya has benn given direct orders by US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), IRIB quoted Swiss weekly Sontagsblicks as saying.

Swiss national Ower Teener already in custody in Germany on smuggling nuclear technology charges has supplied parts for Libyan nuclear installations on an order by CIA, but the equipments should have been depleted in order to avoid building nuclear weapons, the weekly said.

Teener's family and his advocats have silenced over his collaboration with CIA, Swiss daily Facts wrote, but he said in his private talks with his friends that he had no fear for smuggling the goods because Washington had known about it.

Teener has frequented to the United States easily, Facts quoted to support its claims on Teener's links to CIA.

Police might have found evidence in his office in Saint Gallen province in Switzerland, Facts concluded.

http://www.iribnews.ir/Full_en.asp?news_id=188697

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Iran Rejects U.S. Nuclear Incentives Saying It Will Not Bend To External Pressure

Source: VOA News

TEHRAN - Iran has rejected U.S. and European economic incentives offered in exchange for abandoning its nuclear enrichment activities, saying it will not bend to external pressure.

The Iranian response comes a day after Washington said it would drop its objections to Iran's application to the World Trade Organization, WTO, and to the licensing of spare parts for Iranian civilian aircraft.

A foreign ministry spokesman dismissed the offer Saturday saying restrictions against Tehran's right to buy spare parts and join the WTO should never have been imposed in the first place.

In a major policy shift, the Bush administration agreed to back European incentives, after Britain, France and Germany said they would support U.S. efforts to bring Iran before the U.N. Security Council if nuclear talks fail.


http://www.texaspanhandleplains.com/...rticle&sid=922

‘EU not insisting that Tehran abandon uranium enrichment’(AFP)

12 March 2005

VIENNA - EU negotiators are not insisting that Iran abandon uranium enrichment, and talks between Iran and the 25-member bloc are focusing on how Tehran can give other guarantees that its nuclear program is peaceful, a senior Iranian negotiator said Saturday.


“It is quite clear that for the Europeans the abandoning or cessation (of uranium enrichment) is not even on the negotiating table,” said Syrus Nasseri, who led the Iranian team that met with representatives of the EU “big three” Britain, France and Germany this week in Geneva.

The United States backs the EU’s offer of trade and other incentives to Iran in return for a halt to enrichment, a fuel process that could also provide Tehran’s clerical regime with the capacity to build a bomb.

The United States, which charges that Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons, has said however that the deal would be off if Iran does not dismantle its enrichment facilities.

But Nasseri told AFP: “What we are negotiating (with the European trio) is to seek ways that the Europeans can have additional assurances on our fuel production.”

Nasseri, speaking by telephone before leaving Vienna for Tehran, said both sides “are trying to have a compromise agreement.

“It is a possibility to discuss the extent and level of (nuclear) capacity we would pursue. The basis could be on the ground of the level of enrichment and the extent of enrichment,” he said, without elaborating.

Officials from the European trio were not immediately available for comment.


http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayA...iddleeast&col=

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Iran Ready to Confront Threats

TEHRAN, March 12--Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said Iran is ready to confront any threat and safeguard its nuclear installations.
Shamkhani also told ISNA on Saturday Iran will defend its nuclear installations and is ready to thwart any possible threat.
Commenting on the recent threatening remarks by US leaders and extension of economic sanctions, Shamkhani said the Americans have adopted a hostile attitude toward Iran since 1953.
ÒWe cannot be indifferent toward US threats. We have maintained self-restraint till now,Ó he said.
Asked whether Iranian officials are pleased with the result of recent Iran-EU talks, he said the negotiators were not satisfied with the talks.
On the recent massive rally of Lebanese people against withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, he said it was a wise and timely decision.
Asked about measures taken by the Defense Ministry in the civil sector, Shamkhani noted that the Defense Ministry has been active in civil transportation, energy and communications sectors.

http://www.iran-daily.com/1383/2235/...onal.htm#50766

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U.S. Ready To Offer Iran Economic Incentives For Dropping Nuclear Enrichment

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration on Friday softened its hardline stance on how to thwart Iran's suspected nuclear arms program, agreeing to support a European plan that offers economic incentives for the Tehran government to give up any weapons ambitions.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signaled, however, that Iran should move quickly or face the threat of harsh United Nations Security Council sanctions. The administration also privately expressed skepticism that Iran would live up to the bargain.

Until now, the administration has insisted that Iran deserves no reward for simply abiding by an international arms compact that forbids nuclear weapons development. The United States suspects Iran is using a legitimate program to develop nuclear power plants as cover for illegal weapons development.

"I'm pleased that we are speaking with one voice with our European friends," President Bush said during a trip to Shreveport, La. "I look forward to working with our European friends to make it abundantly clear to the Iranian regime that the free world will not tolerate them having a nuclear weapon."

The United States agreed to drop opposition to Iranian membership in the World Trade Organization and to allow some sales of spare parts for civilian aircraft. If that carrot does not work, the Europeans agreed to support use of the stick the United States has unsuccessfully sought before: U.N. sanctions.

Rice said there is no timetable for negotiations, but added, "This has been going on for some time."

"I would think that if the Iranians are going to demonstrate that they are prepared to live up to their obligations, that they would want to do that sooner rather than later," she told reporters after meeting at the State Department with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk.

"The Iranians need to take the opportunity that the Europeans are presenting them," Rice said.

The European Union warned Tehran explicitly about possible U.N. action Friday.

"We shall have no choice but to support referring Iran's nuclear program to the U.N. Security Council," a confidential EU document obtained by The Associated Press said.

There was no immediate response from Tehran.

Vice President Dick Cheney said concern remains that Iran wants the capability to "enrich fuel far beyond what's required for a civilian reactor to levels that would give them the capability to build a weapon."

"If the Iranians don't live up to their obligations and their international commitments to forgo a nuclear program, then obviously we'll have to take stronger action," Cheney said in an interview Fox News Channel's "Special Report with Brit Hume."

It remains an open question whether Iran will surrender its right to both enrich uranium and reprocess it, said a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

Still, added the official, the U.S. has made a move that could help the Europeans in their negotiations with the Iranians.

The shift places the United States side by side with British, French and German diplomats. Just weeks ago the Bush administration had seemed to write off their talks with Tehran as fruitless.

The change came about as Bush and Rice received personal assurances that the European countries negotiating with Tehran over its nuclear program are firmly committed to stopping any weapons program there, administration officials said Friday.

Both Rice and Bush discussed Iran during fence-mending trips to Europe in February. Those trips were meant to clear the air after disagreements with European powers during Bush's first term over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

A dinner Rice attended in London with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and counterparts from Britain, France and Germany was a key turning point, one official said on condition of anonymity.

At that March 1 dinner, the Europeans told Rice they would hold Iran to its obligations not to use civilian nuclear power programs to hide weapons research and development, and that the Europeans would support an international effort to invoke U.N. Security Council sanctions if Iran reneged, the official said.

Iran is building its first nuclear power plant with Russian help. The U.S. for now accepts Russian assurances that no enrichment or reprocessing will take place, and that spent fuel rods will be returned to Russia.

Weapons-grade nuclear fuel can be made either by enriching uranium or by reprocessing spent-fuel rods to create plutonium.

The European countries wanted U.S. support on the theory that a united front was most likely to persuade Iran to comply. So long as the United States remained apart, Iran would delay meaningful steps to end its nuclear program, the Europeans argued.

They also argued that the United States risked looking like the odd man out if the Europeans did win a nonproliferation deal. The Europeans urged the United States to join the talks, but the Bush administration wanted to remain at arm's length from Iran.

Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic relations since 1979, when Iranian militants occupied the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held its staff hostage. The United States has long listed Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Rice said in a statement that the administration will consider allowing the spare parts sales on a case-by-case basis. Many of the sales would be from European Union countries.

WTO membership increases a country's chances of selling goods to the United States and other rich nations. Joining can be a difficult process that takes several years.


http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/national/B70925/

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Iran snubs US sop; vows to pursue N-plan

TEHRAN: Iran scoffed at US incentives aimed at coaxing the republic to drop its nuclear ambitions and declared yesterday that Washington’s overtures did nothing to change Tehran’s plans to push ahead with its nuclear programme.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said neither threats nor incentives would alter Iran’s determination to develop peaceful nuclear technology.

Tehran issued its defiant response a day after the Bush administration softened its stance on how to thwart Iran’s nuclear development and agreed to support a European plan that offers economic incentives for Iran to give up any weapons ambitions.

The US concessions include an end to American opposition to Iran’s application for membership in the WTO and a partial lifting of the ban on sales of some spare parts for Iran’s civilian aircraft. Asefi said Rice’s offer was no offer at all. “The restrictions on spare parts that have no military purpose should have not been imposed from the beginning, and lifting them is not an incentive,” state-run radio quoted Asefi as saying. And, he said, “joining the WTO is an obvious right of any country in the world.”

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Dis...5031344737.xml

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Revealed: Israel plans strike on Iranian nuclear plant
Uzi Mahnaimi


ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans for a combined air and ground attack on targets in Iran if diplomacy fails to halt the Iranian nuclear programme.
The inner cabinet of Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, gave “initial authorisation” for an attack at a private meeting last month on his ranch in the Negev desert.

Israeli forces have used a mock-up of Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant in the desert to practise destroying it. Their tactics include raids by Israel’s elite Shaldag (Kingfisher) commando unit and airstrikes by F-15 jets from 69 Squadron, using bunker-busting bombs to penetrate underground facilities.

The plans have been discussed with American officials who are said to have indicated provisionally that they would not stand in Israel’s way if all international efforts to halt Iranian nuclear projects failed.

Tehran claims that its programme is designed for peaceful purposes but Israeli and American intelligence officials — who have met to share information in recent weeks — are convinced that it is intended to produce nuclear weapons.

The Israeli government responded cautiously yesterday to an announcement by Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, that America would support Britain, France and Germany in offering economic incentives for Tehran to abandon its programme.

In return, the European countries promised to back Washington in referring Iran to the United Nations security council if the latest round of talks fails to secure agreement.

Silvan Shalom, the Israeli foreign minister, said he believed that diplomacy was the only way to deal with the issue. But he warned: “The idea that this tyranny of Iran will hold a nuclear bomb is a nightmare, not only for us but for the whole world.”

Dick Cheney, the American vice-president, emphasised on Friday that Iran would face “stronger action” if it failed to respond. But yesterday Iran rejected the initiative, which provides for entry to the World Trade Organisation and a supply of spare parts for airliners if it co-operates.

“No pressure, bribe or threat can make Iran give up its legitimate right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes,” said an Iranian spokesman.

US officials warned last week that a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities by Israeli or American forces had not been ruled out should the issue become deadlocked at the United Nations.

Additional reporting: Tony Allen-Mills, Washington

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[B]Strong earthquake hits southeastern Iran[/B

]Pakistan Times Wire Service

TEHERAN (Iran): A powerful earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter Scale hit the Saravan region in southeast Iran at 71 am [0331 GMT] on Sunday, state television reported.

Saravan administrator Ali Mohammad Mohebati declared: “Because of the scattered nature of the villages and the lack of telephones, we do not at the moment have any reports on possible victims but buildings have been damaged.”

“Rescue teams have been sent to the scene. They have reported damage but no deaths so far. I hope there will not be any victims. The rescuers have not been able to go to all the villages yet,” he added.

The Saravan region in Sistan-Baluchestan province, in the far southeast of the country, is close to the border with Pakistan, and has a population of around 240,000.

http://www.pakistantimes.net/2005/03/13/top12.htm#IRAN



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EDITORIAL: Stakes are higher on Iran's weapons

Pakistan's admission makes it even clearer the mullahs are not to be trusted.

PRESIDENT BUSH shook up a few European sensibilities during his recent fence-mending trip when he responded to a question about American intentions with Iran.

Bush emphatically said the United States was not poised to invade Iran. Then he promptly added "all options are on the table."

What did that mean?


Simply: If Iran rejects diplomatic overtures, and insists on a path intended to produce nuclear weapons, military action could be the outcome.

NO ONE WANTS that to happen, so President Bush has been rightly supportive of European efforts to negotiate a solution. Disappointingly, thus far the process has amounted to one step forward, two steps back.

The ruling mullahs of Iran insist they are only interested in a nuclear power plant. Still, they have resisted verification efforts, and have been less than cooperative with international efforts to secure potential weapons-grade threats. Even when the Europeans thought they had a deal, the Iranians reneged.

Russia's Vladimir Putin, though, seems convinced the mullahs have no suspicious designs, so he has agreed to go ahead and sell them materials. And if you can't trust Putin, who can you trust?

NEWS ITEM: "ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - After years of denials, Pakistan admitted Thursday that its top nuclear scientist sold crucial equipment to Iran, but said it knew nothing of his activities when they occurred and insisted that he would not be turned over to another country for prosecution."

There you have it. The world now knows Iran was a customer at Pakistan's nuclear flea market. The father of Pakistan's bomb, Abdul Qadeer Khan, sold secrets indiscriminately and made the transition to nuclear much closer for various rogue states.

Knowing that, how is the United States or any other nation supposed to trust the mullahs' word?

THIS DEVELOPMENT should make it clear to the international community that Iran is a danger, with designs on nuclear weapons. The potential for destabilization in the Middle East is obvious.

The international community failed miserably with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. This is another opportunity to act with international unity to stop a threat from developing.

President Bush is right. The United States should not be quick on the trigger with Iran. But the United Nations, the European Union and other international partners must prove to have the will and capacity to act with effectiveness - diplomatically, or otherwise.


http://www.beloitdailynews.com/artic...als/edit01.txt


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