Iran In The News
'Israel reaches strategic decision not to let Iran go nuclear'
The Jerusalem Post
(August
29, 2008) - Israel will not allow Iran to attain nuclear
capability and if time begins to run out, Jerusalem will not hesitate to
take whatever means necessary to prevent Iran from achieving its nuclear
goals, the government has recently decided in a special discussion.
According to the Israeli daily Ma'ariv, whether the United States
and Western countries succeed in thwarting the Islamic Republic's
nuclear ambitions diplomatically, through sanctions, or whether a US
strike on Iran is eventually decided upon, Jerusalem has begun preparing
for a separate, independent military strike. So far, Israel has not
received American authorization to use US-controlled Iraqi airspace, nor
has the defense establishment been successful in securing the purchase
of advanced US-made warplanes which could facilitate an Israeli strike.
The Americans have offered Israel permission to use a global early
warning radar system, implying that the US is pushing Israel to settle
for defensive measures only. Because of Israel's lack of strategic
depth, Jerusalem has consistently warned in recent years that it will
not settle for a 'wait and see' approach, merely retaliating to an
attack, but will rather use preemption to prevent any risk of being hit
in the first place. Ephraim Sneh a veteran Labor MK who has recently
left the party, has reportedly sent a document to both US presidential
candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama. The eight-point document
states that "there is no government in Jerusalem that would ever
reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran. When it is clear Iran is on the
verge of acquiring nuclear weapons, an Israeli military strike to
prevent this will be seriously considered." According to Ma'ariv,
Sneh offered the two candidates the "sane, cheap and the only option
that does not necessitate bloodshed." To prevent Iran's nuclear
aspirations, Sneh wrote, "real" sanctions applied by the US and Europe
were necessary. A total embargo in spare parts for the oil industry and
a total boycott of Iranian banks would promptly put an end to the
regime, which is already pressured by a sloping economy and would be
toppled by the Iranian people if they have outside assistance, he said.
The window of opportunity Sneh suggests is a year and a half to two
years, until 2010. Sneh also visited Switzerland
and Austria last week in an attempt to lobby them against the Iranian
threat. Both countries have announced massive long-term investments in
Iranian gas and oil fields for the next decade. "Talk of the Jewish
Holocaust and Israel's security doesn't impress these guys," Sneh said
wryly. Hearing his hosts speak of their future investments, Sneh replied
quietly "it's a shame, because Ido will light all this up." He was
referring to Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan, the recently appointed IAF
commander and the man most likely to be the one to orchestrate Israel's
attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, should this become a necessity.
"Investing in Iran in 2008," Sneh told his Austrian hosts, "is like
investing in the Krupp steelworks in 1938, it's a high risk investment."
The Austrians, according to Sneh, turned pale. In related news, a top
official said Friday that Iran had increased the number of operating
centrifuges at its uranium enrichment plant to 4,000. Deputy Foreign
Minister Ali Reza Sheikh Attar, who visited the Natanz plant last week,
said that Iran was preparing to install even more centrifuges, though he
did not offer a timeframe. "Right now, nearly 4,000 centrifuges are
operating at Natanz," Attar told the state news agency IRNA. "Currently,
3,000 other centrifuges are being installed." Meanwhile, the pan-Arabic
Al Kuds al Arabi reported Friday that Iran had equipped Hizbullah
with longer range missiles than those it possessed before the Second
Lebanon War and had also improved the guerrilla group's targeting
capabilities. According to the report, which The Jerusalem Post
could not verify independently, Hizbullah was planning a massive rocket
onslaught on targets reaching deep into Israel's civilian underbelly in
case Israel launches an attack on Iran.
'Hizbullah tightens hold on Venezuela'
The Jerusalem Post
(August
28, 2008) - Agents of Hizbullah and Iran's Revolutionary Guard
have deployed special forces in Venezuela intended to kidnap Jewish
businessmen and smuggle them to Lebanon, Israel Radio reported Thursday.
An expert on counter-terrorism warned in an interview with The Los
Angeles Times that Iranian-backed agents have managed to recruit
collaborators among Venezuelan citizens living in the capital Caracas.
The collaborators are supposed to observe traffic at the Caracas airport
and around it in order to collect information on Jewish travelers there.
Hizbullah has strengthened its grasp of Venezuela following the warm
relationship that grew between Venezuela and Iran. Experts quoted by the
Times warned that Venezuela might become a base out of which Hizbullah
could carry out terror attacks.
Iran's
Ahmadinejad, Russia's Medvedev to hold talks
Tehran Times
(August
25, 2008) - Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad will hold talks
with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on the sidelines the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Dushanbe which begins on
Thursday. Ahmadinejad and Medvedev will talk about strengthening
relations between the two countries and discuss regional and
international issues, the Fars News Agency reported. This is the first
time that two presidents meet each other. The SCO’s eighth conference
will be held on August 28 and 29. It will be attended by the presidents
of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as
its permanent members, the heads of state from Iran, India, Mongolia
plus Pakistani foreign minister as observers, and the leaders of
Turkmenistan and Afghanistan as guests. The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental international organization
founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001 by six countries, China, Russia,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Its member states
cover an area of about three fifths of Eurasia, with a population of
1.455 billion. Its working languages are Chinese and Russian. The
organization’s main objectives include strengthening confidence among
the members, increasing political, scientific, cultural, and educational
as well as energy, transportation, tourism cooperation between the
member states.
Iran's Ahmadinejad in New Verbal Attack on Israel
AFP
(August
23, 2008) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad renewed his
verbal attacks on arch-foe Israel on Saturday, accusing it of dragging
the world into turmoil and predicting its demise. "About 2,000 organised
Zionists and 7,000 to 8,000 agents of Zionism have dragged the world
into turmoil," Ahmadinejad told a rally in the central Iranian city of
Arak carried live on state television. He said that if the West does not
restrain Zionism, "the powerful hand of the nations will clean these
sources of corruption from the face of the earth," without specifying
which nations. Iran does not recognise the Jewish state and Ahmadinejad
has drawn international condemnation by repeatedly saying since his
election in 2005 that Israel is doomed to disappear. Last month Vice
President Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie triggered controversy and calls for
his resignation when he said Iranians are "friends with Israelis."
Israel, the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, accuses Iran
of seeking atomic weapons and wants tougher sanctions against the
Islamic republic to make it halt its controversial nuclear programme.
Iran insists that its nuclear ambitions are purely peaceful and aimed at
meeting the country's growing energy needs.
Fear of new Mid East 'Cold War' as Syria strengthens military alliance
with Russia Times Online
(August 21, 2008) - Syria raised the
prospect yesterday of having Russian missiles on its soil, sparking
fears of a new Cold War in the Middle East. President Assad said as he
arrived in Moscow to clinch a series of military agreements: “We are
ready to co-operate with Russia in any project that can strengthen its
security.” The Syrian leader told Russian newspapers: “I think Russia
really has to think of the response it will make when it finds itself
closed in a circle.” Mr Assad said that he would be discussing the
deployment of Russian missiles on his territory. The Syrians are also
interested in buying Russian weapons. In return Moscow is expected to
propose a revival of its Cold War era naval base at the Syrian port of
Tartus, which would give the Russian Navy its first foothold in the
Mediterranean for two decades. Damascus and Moscow were close allies
during the Cold War but the Kremlin’s influence in the region waned
after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yesterday’s rapprochement raised
the possibility that Moscow intends to re-create a global anti-Western
alliance with former Soviet bloc allies. Many in Israel fear that the
Middle East could once again become a theatre for the two great powers
to exert their spheres of influence, militarily and politically. And
with Israel and the US providing military backing to Georgia, Russia
appears set to respond in kind by supporting Syria. Already, Israeli
observers worry that the chaos in the Caucasus may disrupt gas supplies
to Europe and Turkey from the Caspian Sea region, creating a greater
energy reliance on Iran and its vast reserves. The crisis could in turn
allow Tehran to exploit splits in the international community and use
Russia as a backer to advance its nuclear programme. Russia has wooed
Syria in recent years, as it has tried to increase its influence in the
Middle East and increase arms sales. Syria and Israel recently confirmed
they had been holding indirect talks to reach a peace deal after decades
of hostility. Part of Syria’s motivation was to break the international
isolation it has suffered for its strategic alliance with Tehran. A
closer alliance with a resurgent Russia could afford Mr Assad a way out
of any binding commitment. Some Israeli analysts even fear that it could
encourage Syria to try to take back the Golan Heights, captured by
Israel in 1967, by force. The Georgia conflict sparked a mocking speech
with Cold War rhetoric by Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader,
over the performance of Israeli-trained Georgian troops. One of the
Israeli military advisers there was reserve Brigadier-General Gal
Hirsch, who commanded a division in Israel’s inconclusive war with
Hezbollah in 2006, and who resigned his commission afterwards. “Gal
Hirsch, who was defeated in Lebanon, went to Georgia and they too lost
because of him,” the Shia leader taunted. “Relying on Israeli experts
and weapons, Georgia learnt why the Israeli generals failed. “What
happened in Georgia is a message to all those the Americans are seeking
to entangle in dangerous adventures.”
Monitor: UN peacekeepers in Lebanon co-opted by Hizbullah
World Tribune
(August 20, 2008) - A consultant to the
United Nations said its peace-keeping force in Lebanon has been
effectively paralyzed. An independent monitoring group, registered as a
consultant to the UN, said UNIFIL could not act without permission of
Hizbullah and the Lebanese government it now controls. "They [UNIFIL]
mustn't accept Hizbullah blackmailing," Toni Nissi, general coordinator
of the Lebanese Committee for UN Security Council Resolution 1559 said.
[On Aug. 19, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would lift
any limitations on military operations should Lebanon turn into what he
termed a Hizbullah state. Olmert said Israel had restrained itself
during the 2006 war with Hizbullah to avoid damage to Lebanon.] In a
briefing on Aug. 16, Nissi said UNIFIL has become a hostage of
Hizbullah. He said the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad
Siniora has refused to grant permission to UN peace-keepers to halt
Hizbullah weapons smuggling or deployment south of the Litani River, a
key element of Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the
Israeli-Hizbullah war in 2006. "1701 also calls for the implementation
of [Security Council resolution] 1559, especially the disarmament of the
militias, and calls for sealing the border between Lebanon and Syria and
forbidding the entering of arms and weapons via the border, especially
to Hizbullah," Nissi said. "So Hizbullah is violating 1701 big time, and
not only by hiding its weapons in warehouses in the south. Also, we
haven't seen any weapons coming out of the south after the war of 2006.
So did Hizbullah throw its weapons used in the 2006 war into the sea?"
The monitoring group, with representatives in Lebanon and other
countries, disputed an assertion by UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Claudio
Graziano that Hizbullah was honoring resolution 1701. Graziano also said
UNIFIL maintained excellent relations with the militia. "Is the UNIFIL
mandate to coordinate with Hizbullah or to kick Hizbullah out south of
the Litani?" Nissi responded. Former UNIFIL adviser Timor Goksel said
the 13,500 international peace-keeping force has sought to avoid
friction with Hizbullah. Goksel told a briefing in Beirut that Hizbullah
has established a major presence in southern Lebanon. "I know they are
careful not to challenge UNIFIL and there is practically no visible
Hizbullah fighter to be seen," Goksel said. "As far as UNIFIL is
concerned, this is compliance."
Report warns of global fallout from invasion of Georgia, faults U.S.
intelligence World Tribune
(August 19, 2008) - Russia's invasion of
Georgia demonstrated Moscow's growing power and is making waves in the
Middle East, a report by a leading U.S. analyst said. The report by the
Institute for Contemporary Affairs asserted that Iran would be
emboldened by Moscow's successful military campaign. "The long-term
outcomes of the current Russian-Georgian war will be felt far and wide,
from Afghanistan to Iran, and from the Caspian to the Mediterranean,"
the report, titled "The Russian-Georgian War: Implications for the
Middle East," said. "The war is a mid-sized earthquake which indicates
that the geopolitical tectonic plates are shifting, and nations in
the Middle East, including Israel, need to take notice." Authored by
Ariel Cohen, the report said Russia's strategic goals included
increasing control of energy pipelines to Turkey. Cohen also warned
Israel not to provoke Moscow or rely on U.S. support against Iran,
Middle East Newsline reported. "U.S. expressions of support of
the kind provided to Georgia — short of an explicit mutual defense pact
— may or may not result in military assistance if/when Israel is under
attack, especially when the attacker has an effective deterrent, such as
nuclear arms deliverable against U.S. targets," the report said. "In
the future, such an attacker could be Iran or an Arab country armed with
atomic weapons. Israel can and should rely on its own deterrent — a
massive survivable second-strike capability." The report criticized
the U.S. intelligence community, which failed to detect Russian
efforts to annex Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Cohen, who
warned that Ukraine was Moscow's next target, said the Bush
administration did not prepare the Georgian military for a Russian
attack. "This is something to remember when looking at recent American
intelligence assessments of the Iranian nuclear threat or the
unsuccessful training of Palestinian Authority security forces against
Hamas," Cohen said. Cohen said a pro-Russian regime in Georgia would
result in Moscow's full control of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
and the Baku-Erzurum natural gas pipeline, both of which reach Turkey.
Israel has been receiving some of its oil from Ceyhan and has a "stake
in the smooth flow of oil from the Caspian." The report said Russia
financed and armed the Russian ethnic community in Georgia to foment
unrest. Cohen compared this to Iran's use of proxies to attack Israel
from Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. "This use of small, ethnically-based
proxies is similar to Iran's use of Hizbullah and Hamas to continuously
attack Israel," the report said. "Tbilisi tried for years to deal
with these militias by offering a negotiated solution, including full
autonomy within Georgia." Cohen, a senior researcher at the
Washington-based Heritage Foundation, said Russia plans to extend its
influence throughout the Middle East. He cited Russian Navy bases in the
Syrian ports of Latakia and Tartous and plans to establish a presence in
Libya. "Clearly, with the renewal of East-West tensions as a result of
Russia's moves against Georgia, it will be much more difficult to obtain
Moscow's agreement to enhance sanctions and international pressures on
Iran," the report said. "The struggle to diplomatically halt its
[Iran's] nuclear program will become far more difficult."
Israelis: War With Hezbollah Inevitable
Newsmax
(August 18, 2008) - The Israeli army says
Hezbollah has re-armed with 40,000 rockets — triple the number it had at
the start of the Lebanon War two years ago. Therefore, many Israelis
believe another war with Hezbollah is inevitable. "The war set the stage
for a more comprehensive Middle East conflict," said Israeli analyst
Michael Oren. "It set into motion a dynamic in the Arab world, where
much of the Arab street believes that Hezbollah won that war, and there
is tremendous expectation on Hezbollah to continue the struggle."
Hezbollah fired 4,000 rockets into Israel during the 34-day conflict.
But a massive Israeli air and ground assault failed to deal a knockout
blow to 5,000 Hezbollah guerrillas in South Lebanon, prompting an
official Israeli inquiry to describe the government's and army's
handling of the war as a failure. Oren says there were failures, but
also achievements. "Israel wreaked tremendous havoc in Lebanon in 2006,"
Oren said. "We destroyed all of Hezbollah's infrastructure, much of its
civilian headquarters, we killed about a quarter of their fighters, that
is a prohibitive number of casualties for any modern fighting force, and
yet perception is everything in the Middle East and the perception was,
in the Arab world at least, that Israel was bested in that conflict."
Under the U.N. ceasefire resolution that ended the war, about 13,000
international peacekeepers have deployed in South Lebanon. But Israel
charges that they have failed to fulfill their mandate of preventing
weapons smuggling to Hezbollah from Syria and Iran. With a bristling new
arsenal of rockets, Oren believes a Hezbollah attack on Israel is just a
matter of time. "Israel would then have to reply into Lebanon, possibly
drawing in the Syrians and ultimately the Iranians," Oren said. And with
the possible involvement of regional superpowers, the next war could be
much worse than the last one.
Iran, Turkey fail to reach deal on new pipeline
Associated Press
(August 14, 2008) - Iran and Turkey signed
several cooperation agreements Thursday but failed to complete a deal
for building a new natural gas pipeline — a project the United States
has opposed. Washington argues an energy deal by NATO ally Turkey with
Iran would send the wrong message while the West threatens Tehran with
new economic sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment. The
West believe Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, which Tehran
denies. On Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Turkish
President Abdullah Gul witnessed the public signing of a series of
agreements for cooperation in anti-drug efforts, environmental matters,
transportation, tourism and culture. The two nations also issued a joint
statement stressing their determination for further cooperation in
energy but they couldn't come to agreement on construction of the
proposed gas pipeline. "There are some snags," Turkey's interior
minister, Besir Atalay, said without providing any details. Turkish
Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said that "the negotiations will continue"
on the pipeline project, which is aimed at ensuring reliable supply of
Iranian natural gas to Turkey. Turkey already receives gas through an
existing pipeline from Iran, but its flow often is sporadic during the
winter. Relations between Turkey and Iran improved since Turkey's
Islamic-rooted governing party took power in 2002. Previous Turkish
governments had accused Iran of trying to export radical Islam to
secular Turkey, which hopes to join the European Union. The United
States also opposes plans for Turkish investment in Iran's South Pars
gas fields and the possibility of the Islamic Republic selling its gas
to European markets via an existing pipeline that carries gas to Europe
through Turkey.
Ahmadinejad in new Israel tirade before Turkey trip
Reuters
(August 13, 2008) - Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a fresh verbal attack on Israel on
Wednesday on the eve of a visit to Israel's close ally Turkey, saying
Western countries should not support the Jewish state. The comments
highlight the difficult path which Turkey, a member of NATO, must follow
during the two-day visit which reflects its desire to remain on good
terms with its neighbor and secure future energy needs. "Western
countries should not support them (Israel) so much. The life of this
regime has come to an end," Ahmadinejad said in comments translated into
Turkish in a live interview broadcast by Turkey's NTV and CNN Turk
channels. "Our position is clear on this issue. A referendum should take
place in Palestine. If they withdraw from invaded lands it would be a
good step," he said. Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan have come under criticism at home and abroad for inviting
Ahmadinejad. Ankara has said his visit was necessary given a standoff
between Iran and the West over Tehran's disputed nuclear enrichment
program, but analysts said the visit was more about ensuring
centuries-old ties during a period of global tensions. Ahmadinejad said
the talks on Iran's nuclear program were on a "good path".
'Syria and Hizbullah gaining strength'
The Jerusalem Post
(August 12, 2008) - Defense Minister Ehud
Barak said on Tuesday that "it is not a coincidence that the IDF is
holding intensive drills in the Golan Heights," adding that UNSC
Resolution 1701 was not accomplishing what it set out to do. "Hizbullah
has gained significant strength in the last couple of years," said Barak
during an IDF Armored Corps drill in the North. "We are closely
following a possible violation [of the resolution] caused by the
transfer of advanced weapons systems from Syria to Hizbullah. The
necessary preparations have been made, and regarding all the rest - I
always prefer not to talk, rather to take action when the time comes."
Barak expressed optimism with regards to the IDF's capabilities. "The
army is regaining its strength, and coming back to the right morals,
carrying out the right exercises and it is our obligation as the
government to ensure that the proper means are available to carry out
such drills in a correct and intensive manner." Referring to a proposed
budget cut to the Defense Ministry, Barak said: "We live in a country
where security and defense consist not just of tanks and planes, but
also of fostering excellence and caring for the population through
education and social welfare." Nonetheless, Barak emphasized that
"security and defense take precedence over quality of life and in a
country such as ours, we do not have the luxury of cutting the defense
budget." The defense minister also addressed the Gaza ceasefire and the
strengthening of the group. "So far, the ceasefire has proved
promising," he said. "There have been ten instances where rockets were
launched in the past 6 weeks, compared to the hundreds of attacks that
occurred in the past. Every week that passes with the ceasefire in place
enables us to gain strength and to maximize the possibility or the
probability of bringing about the right conditions for the release of
[captured IDF soldier] Gilad Schalit. Barak added that "in the meantime,
the government must care for the social and economic infrastructure as
well as the preparation of the home front in the Gaza periphery and the
surrounding areas. more...
Exclusive: Hizbollah 'stronger than before' and ready to strike Israel
Telegraph UK
(August 2, 2008) - Hezbollah has
significantly built up its military arsenal on the Israeli border and is
ready to respond with force to any provocation, its senior commander has
told the Telegraph. The political and military group's senior commander
in southern Lebanon said in a rare interview that Hezbollah was far
stronger now than when it fought the Israeli army in a conflict in 2006.
Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, who leads Hezbollah's forces on Lebanon's border
with Israel - the crucial battlefront of any future war, was speaking in
the port city of Tyre. "The resistance is now stronger than before and
this keeps the option of war awake. If we were weak, Israel would not
hesitate to start another war," he said. "We are stronger than before
and when Hezbollah is strong, our strength stops Israel from starting a
new war... We don't seek war, but we must be ready." Hezbollah, whose
missiles killed 43 Israeli civilians during the war of 2006, is
considered a terrorist organisation by the US and Britain. Other sources
say Hezbollah has trebled its arsenal in the last two years – from
10,000 missiles to about 30,000. These new weapons have longer ranges
and heavier warheads. They include the Zelzal missile, which could
strike as far south as Tel Aviv, and the C802 anti-shipping missile,
capable of sinking Israeli warships. Any American strike on Iran, for
example, could be the trigger for a Hezbollah attack on Israel. Hassan
Nasrallah, Hezbollah's overall leader, started the 2006 conflict with
the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers whose corpses were recently
returned to Israel. Mr Kaouk did not deny that Hezbollah was reliant on
Iran for military hardware and support. "We are proud of our friendship
with Iran and with Syria and every country which helps us to gain our
rights," he said. His remarks will be examined closely in Washington as
Iran presses ahead with its nuclear programme. Iran is currently
weighing its response to the West’s latest offer of incentives to
suspend the enrichment of uranium but has signaled that for now it is
not about to change its stance. Asked where Hezbollah's weapons came
from, Mr Kaouk said: "All parties in Lebanon are getting weapons. No one
asks from where." Iran is Hezbollah's supplier and paymaster. Tehran's
regime and Hezbollah are fellow Shias and their alliance is a crucial
power factor in the Middle East. Iran delivers the missiles to southern
Lebanon through Syria. Meanwhile, Hezbollah fighters travel to Iran for
military training. If the US attacked Iran's nuclear facilities,
Hezbollah could retaliate by firing its missiles into Israel. Hence Iran
possesses a vital interest in building this arsenal. Asked how Hezbollah
would respond to an attack on Iran, Mr Kaouk replied: "I doubt that
Israel will attack Iran because they know the consequences." Mr Kaouk
said the 2006 war, which claimed 1,100 Lebanese lives, had been a
success. "Israel didn't achieve any of its goals. The known goal of
Israel is 'death to Hezbollah'. Hezbollah is still here."
'Hizbullah received advanced launchers'
The Jerusalem Post
(August 10, 2008) - The senior aide to
Syrian President Bashar Assad who was assassinated last weekend had been
in charge of supplying Hizbullah with advanced anti-aircraft weaponry,
the Sunday Times reported. According to the report, Brig.-Gen. Muhammad
Suleiman had provided the guerrilla group with advanced Syrian SA-8
anti-aircraft missiles, Middle Eastern sources told the paper. Such
missiles could potentially challenge the IAF reconnaissance flights
which are currently conducted unhindered over Lebanon. Last week,
Lebanon's new Cabinet unanimously approved a draft policy statement
which could secure Hizbullah's existence as an armed organization and
guarantee its right to "liberate or recover occupied lands." "The
Cabinet unanimously approved the draft," Information Minister Tarek
Mitri told reporters after the five-hour meeting at the presidential
palace in a Beirut suburb last Monday. Government sources in Jerusalem
said the decision would make the government in Beirut an accomplice to
any Hizbullah aggression and give Israel the right to hold it
responsible. During the Second Lebanon War, Israel came under
international pressure not to harm Lebanon's infrastructure because it
was Hizbullah, not the Lebanese government, that killed several IDF
soldiers and kidnapped reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in the
July 2006 cross border raid which sparked the conflict.
'2 US aircraft carriers headed for Gulf'
The Jerusalem Post
(August 7, 2008) - Two additional United
States naval aircraft carriers are heading to the Gulf and the Red Sea,
according to the Kuwaiti newspaper Kuwait Times. Kuwait began finalizing
its "emergency war plan" on being told the vessels were bound for the
region. The US Navy would neither confirm nor deny that carriers were en
route. US Fifth Fleet Combined Maritime Command located in Bahrain said
it could not comment due to what a spokesman termed "force-protection
policy." While the Kuwaiti daily did not name the ships it believed were
heading for the Middle East, The Media Line's defense analyst said they
could be the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Ronald Reagan. Within
the last month, the Roosevelt completed an exercise along the US east
coast focusing on communication among navies of different countries. It
has since been declared ready for operational duties. The Reagan,
currently with the Seventh Fleet, had just set sail from Japan. The
Seventh Fleet area of operation stretches from the East Coast of Africa
to the International Date Line. Meanwhile, the Arabic news agency Moheet
reported at the end of July that an unnamed American destroyer,
accompanied by two Israeli naval vessels traveled through the Suez Canal
from the Mediterranean. A week earlier, a US nuclear submarine
accompanied by a destroyer and a supply ship moved into the
Mediterranean, according to Moheet. Currently there are two US naval
battle groups operating in the Gulf: one is an aircraft carrier group,
led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, which carries some 65 fighter aircraft.
The other group is headed by the USS Peleliu which maintains a variety
of planes and strike helicopters. The ship movements coincide with the
latest downturn in relations between Washington and Teheran. The US and
Iran are at odds over Iran's nuclear program, which the Bush
administration claims is aimed at producing material for nuclear
weapons; however, Teheran argues it is only for power generation.
Kuwait, like other Arab countries in the Gulf, fears it will be caught
in the middle should the US decide to launch an air strike against Iran
if negotiations fail. The Kuwaitis are finalizing details of their
security, humanitarian and vital services, the newspaper reported. The
six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Oman - lie just across the Gulf from
Iran. Generals in the Iranian military have repeatedly warned that
American interests in the region would be targeted if Iran is subjected
to any military strike by the US or its Western allies. Bahrain hosts
the US Fifth Fleet, while there is a sizeable American base in Qatar. It
is assumed the US also has military personnel in the other Gulf states,
The Media Line's defense analyst said. Iran is thought to have
intelligence operatives working in the GCC states, according to
Dubai-based military analysts. The standoff between the US and Iran has
left the Arab nations' political leaders in something of a bind, as they
were being used as pawns by Washington and Teheran, according to The
Media Line analyst. Iran has offered them economic and industrial
sweeteners, while the US is boosting their defense capabilities. US
President George W. Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have
paid visits to the GCC states in a bid to win their support.
Energy ties deepen between Iran and Turkey
Gas And Oil
(August 7, 2008) - The United States has
maintained various sanctions against Iran since 1979, implemented in
aftermath of the seizure of the US embassy in Tehran. As relations
worsen between the US and Iran, Washington is seeking to have the United
Nations Security Council impose additional sanctions on Iran for its
nuclear enrichment activities, which Tehran insists are legal, entirely
peaceful, and intended for generating electricity. Among the sanctions
that most concern foreign energy companies and nations is the 1996
Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA), renewed in 2001, which provides for
punitive measures against entities that invest more than $20 mm (EUR 13
mm) annually in the Iranian oil and gas sectors. Many countries are
deeply ambivalent toward the US policy, none more so than Turkey, which
imports 90% of its energy needs. Now Ankara is pushing the limits by
increasing its natural gas purchases from Iran and considering possible
involvement in developing the world’s largest hydrocarbon reserves. On
July 29 Iranian Petroleum Minister Qolam Hosein Nozari said in Tehran
that Turkey and Iran were negotiating over Turkey being a transit
corridor for Iranian natural gas exports to Europe and that Iran would
provide increased amounts of natural gas to Turkey during the winter (Anadolu
Ajansi, June 30). According to Nozari, the pipeline, which would run
from Iran’s South Pars natural gas and oil fields to the border province
of Bazargan, was discussed during the OPEC summit held on June 22 in
Jeddah (Tehran Times, June 29). Even worse for administration officials
seeking to sustain and intensify the US sanctions regime, Nozari said,
“We have also spoken about the participation of Turkey in the
development of phases 14 and 23 of the South Pars field” (Hurriyet, June
30). The 3,745 sq-mile Persian Gulf South Pars-North Dome gas condensate
field, straddling Iranian and Qatari territorial waters, is the world’s
largest known gas field. Discovered by the National Iranian Oil Company
(NIOC) in 1990, Iran’s sector, known as South Pars, covers 1,428 sq
miles, with the site’s remaining 2,317 sq miles, North Dome, lying in
Qatari waters. South Pars-North Dome has estimated reserves of
approximately 51 tcm of natural gas and 50 bn barrels of condensate;
with in-place reserves equivalent to 360 bn barrels of oil. South
Pars-North Dome is the world’s biggest conventional hydrocarbon
accretion, dwarfing even Saudi Arabia’s 170 bn barrel Ghawar oil field
(Middle East Economic Survey, March 20, 2006). Phase 14, due to begin
production in 2014, is part of a $10 bn (EUR 6.5 bn) liquefied natural
gas (LNG) project, which already has foreign investors -- a partnership
of NIOC (50%), Anglo-Dutch firm Royal Dutch Shell (25%), and Spain’s
Repsol-YPF (25%). When operational, the project’s initial production
capacity will consist of two components, each capable of an annual
production of 8 mm tons of LNG. For Ankara, the choice of major natural
gas suppliers is difficult, Russia or Iran, while waiting for Azerbaijan
to ramp up production. Iran, which holds the world's second largest gas
reserves, currently provides over one-third of Turkey’s domestic demand,
while Turkey receives 63.7% of its imports from Gazprom with smaller
volumes coming from Azerbaijan. In 1996 Turkey signed a contract with
Iran for natural gas deliveries, which began in December 2001 via a
pipeline from Tabriz to Ankara. The South Caucasus pipeline, also known
as the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline, opened in December
2006 with an annual capacity of 8.8 bn cm and carries Azeri Caspian
natural gas to Turkey via Georgia. Energy imports from both nations are
critical to sustaining Turkish economic growth, even though Washington,
whose diplomatic relations are increasingly strained with Russia and
non-existent with Iran, is very unhappy about the situation. According
to Turkey’s Turkiye Istatistik Kurumu (Turkish Statistical Institute),
Turkey’s economic growth accelerated more than expected from January
through March, increasing to 6.6% from 3.4% in the fourth quarter of
2007 (www.tuik.gov.tr). The figure exceeded the market estimates by 35
to 40%, as the expected growth rate was around 4% (Milliyet, July 1). In
2007 Turkey's annual GDP growth rate was 4.5%. Rising energy costs,
however, are proving to be a significant drag on economic growth.
Earlier this year the Turkish government hiked electricity prices by
21%, and Ankara is preparing to raise natural gas prices in July by 9%
for residences and 11% for businesses (Radikal, July 1). In June,
Turkey’s Devlet Planlama Teskilati (State Planning Organization, or DPT)
prepared a comprehensive projection for Turkey’s economy from 2009
through 2011, which has been approved by the Cabinet and published in
the government’s official gazette, Resmi Gazete (http://rega.basbakanlik.gov.tr,
June 28). The plan includes measures to ensure energy supply security in
the long-term and gives top priority to decreasing the country’s
dependence on imported natural gas. At a time of record high oil prices,
when Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah said, "Consumer countries have to
adapt to the prices and the mechanisms of the market," Washington’s
efforts to compel its allies to respect its hard-line sanctions against
Tehran seem at best naïve, especially when the United States has no
alternative sources of energy to offer (Al-Siyassah, July 2). While
Washington’s threats of sanctions in June caused both Royal Dutch Shell
and Repsol-YPF to withdraw from the South Pars development, there is a
major difference between a multinational company and a sovereign
government bending to sanctions. For Turkey, displays of political
solidarity must take a back seat to financial considerations, as the
government is committed to economic growth to improve the lives of its
citizens. Ankara estimates that from Desert Storm in 1991 until the
March 2003 invasion of Iraq, it lost an estimated $80 bn in oil revenues
and increased energy costs as a result of supporting US and UN sanctions
and policies against Iraq. Washington can hardly expect Turkey to suffer
further financial losses for supporting its Middle East policies. With
no end to energy price increases in sight, Washington must acknowledge
the reality of Turkey’s pragmatic economic relations with its
energy-rich eastern neighbour, even if it does not agree with them.
Lebanese gov't: Hizbullah can use force to 'liberate' territory
The Jerusalem Post
(August 1, 2008) - In a display of
Hizbullah's extended involvement in conflicts throughout the Middle
East, Coalition Special Forces captured two members of the group during
a raid over the weekend in eastern Baghdad. According to the
Multinational Force Iraq, the raid targeted the home of an individual
suspected of serving as a member of a Hizbullah cell - called "Kata'ib
Hizbullah" or "Hizbullah Brigades" - suspected of making videos of
attacks on coalition forces. The videos are then used to raise funds and
resources for additional attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces.
According to media reports, the Hizbullah Brigades have been active for
over a year in Iraq and like Hizbullah in Lebanon, the group is trained
and financed by Iran, likely via the Hizbullah's Al Kuds force, which
was commanded by its chief operations officer Imad Mughniyeh who was
assassinated in Damascus in February. "The Hizbullah Brigades receive
support from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Command for financing,
weapons, training and guidance," the Multi-National Force in Iraq said
in a statement in response to a Jerusalem Post inquiry. "They have
claimed responsibility for attacks against coalition forces and Iraqi
Security Forces as early as late 2005." On videos that it has posted on
the Internet, the Hizbullah Brigades group uses a logo very similar to
the Lebanese Hizbullah flag, showing a raised arm holding a Kalashnikov
assault rifle, although coalition forces said they were not sure of the
nature of the relationship with the Lebanese Hizbullah. This is not the
first time that Hizbullah operatives have been captured in Iraq. In July
2007, coalition forces apprehended Ali Mussa Daqduq, a senior Hizbullah
leader and explosives expert, in Basra where he was reportedly training
forces and even participated in several deadly attacks against US
troops. Daqduq, a veteran of the Al-Kuds Force, was reportedly in Iraq
to train and evaluate the performance of anti-US Shi'ite militias. Also
Friday, Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, Hizbullah military commander in Southern
Lebanon, told the Daily Telegraph that the group was stronger today than
before the Second Lebanon War and was prepared for conflict with Israel.
"The resistance is now stronger than before and this keeps the option of
war awake," he told the paper. "If we were weak, Israel would not
hesitate to start another war... We are stronger than before and when
Hizbullah is strong, our strength stops Israel from starting a new
war... We don't seek war, but we must be ready." Israel has claimed that
since the war Hizbullah has tripled its missile arsenal and today has
more than 30,000 rockets, some of which are capable of reaching almost
anywhere within Israel and as far south as Dimona. Last week, Defense
Minister Ehud Barak met with United Nations Secretary-General Ban
Ki-Moon and warned him that Security Council Resolution 1701 had
collapsed and that UNIFIL was not effective in curbing Hizbullah's
military build-up. "To our disappointment we are witnessing that over
the past two years the number of missiles in Hizbullah's hands has
doubled and maybe even tripled," Barak told Ban. "The ranges of the
missiles have been extended and this is mainly due to close Syrian
assistance."
U.S. Intel: Iran Plans Nuclear Strike on U.S.
Newsmax
(July 29, 2008) - Iran has carried out missile tests for what
could be a plan for a nuclear strike on the United States, the head of a
national security panel has warned. In testimony before the House Armed
Services Committee and in remarks to a private conference on missile
defense over the weekend hosted by the Claremont Institute, Dr. William
Graham warned that the U.S. intelligence community “doesn’t have a
story” to explain the recent Iranian tests. One group of tests that
troubled Graham, the former White House science adviser under President
Ronald Reagan, were successful efforts to launch a Scud missile from a
platform in the Caspian Sea. “They’ve got [test] ranges in Iran which
are more than long enough to handle Scud launches and even Shahab-3
launches,” Dr. Graham said. “Why would they be launching from the
surface of the Caspian Sea? They obviously have not explained that to
us.” Another troubling group of tests involved Shahab-3 launches where
the Iranians "detonated the warhead near apogee, not over the target
area where the thing would eventually land, but at altitude,” Graham
said. “Why would they do that?” Graham chairs the Commission to Assess
the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack,
a blue-ribbon panel established by Congress in 2001. The commission
examined the Iranian tests “and without too much effort connected the
dots,” even though the U.S. intelligence community previously had failed
to do so, Graham said. “The only plausible explanation we can find is
that the Iranians are figuring out how to launch a missile from a ship
and get it up to altitude and then detonate it,” he said. “And that’s
exactly what you would do if you had a nuclear weapon on a Scud or a
Shahab-3 or other missile, and you wanted to explode it over the United
States.” The commission warned in a report issued in April that the
United States was at risk of a sneak nuclear attack by a rogue nation or
a terrorist group designed to take out our nation’s critical
infrastructure. "If even a crude nuclear weapon were detonated anywhere
between 40 kilometers to 400 kilometers above the earth, in a
split-second it would generate an electro-magnetic pulse [EMP] that
would cripple military and civilian communications, power,
transportation, water, food, and other infrastructure," the report
warned. While not causing immediate civilian casualties, the near-term
impact on U.S. society would dwarf the damage of a direct nuclear strike
on a U.S. city. “The first indication [of such an attack] would be that
the power would go out, and some, but not all, the telecommunications
would go out. We would not physically feel anything in our bodies,”
Graham said. As electric power, water and gas delivery systems failed,
there would be “truly massive traffic jams,” Graham added, since modern
automobiles and signaling systems all depend on sophisticated
electronics that would be disabled by the EMP wave. “So you would be
walking. You wouldn’t be driving at that point,” Graham said. “And it
wouldn’t do any good to call the maintenance or repair people because
they wouldn’t be able to get there, even if you could get through to
them.” The food distribution system also would grind to a halt as
cold-storage warehouses stockpiling perishables went offline. Even
warehouses equipped with backup diesel generators would fail, because
“we wouldn’t be able to pump the fuel into the trucks and get the trucks
to the warehouses,” Graham said. The United States “would quickly revert
to an early 19th century type of country.” except that we would have 10
times as many people with ten times fewer resources, he said. more...
Iran's Ahmadinejad in Turkey In Next Month
Iran Mania
(July 26, 2008) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is
expected to pay an official visit to Turkey at the invitation of his
Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, PressTV reported. The visit would take
place late in August and diplomatic sources in Ankara have declared that
a date for the visit will be set soon, Turkish Daily reported on Friday.
During the meeting agreements would be signed to further strengthen
economic ties between the two neighboring countries. In May, Ahmadinejad
in a meeting with Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said the two
countries have the potential to turn into major economic powers in the
world. The Turkish state minister said that the trade volume between the
two countries could reach USD 20b by the end of 2011.
Report: Convoy shipping arms to Hizbullah destroyed in Tehran blast
YNet News
(July 25, 2008) - London-based Daily Telegraph reports of
mysterious blast in military convoy leaving Revolutionary Guards Base
last weekend. At least 15 people killed in explosion, but Iranian
authorities seeking to silence incident. Was sabotage responsible for
disrupting a shipment of arms from Iran to Hizbullah ? The London-based
Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Friday of a mysterious explosion
which devastated an Iranian supply convoy intended to reach Hizbullah.
According to the report, the strong blast took place in one of Tehran's
suburbs as a military convoy left a Revolutionary Guards' ammunition
storehouse. At least 15 people were killed in the explosion. Western
sources reported that the blast took place on July 19 and that the
convoy was carrying military equipment for the Lebanese terror
organization. It was also reported that senior Revolutionary Guards
officials banned the Iranian media from reporting the explosion, even
though it was heard throughout the capital. The Guards launched an
investigation into the incident. An official source told the newspaper
that the strong explosion was heard across Tehran, adding that the
Revolutionary Guards were trying to silence the incident despite the
fact that many people were killed. Additional explosions and mysterious
incidents which have taken place in Iran recently are being investigated
by the Revolutionary Guards. In one of the incidents, a blast rocked a
mosque in the city of Shiraz, where weapons were being displayed,
killing 11 people. Iranian Intelligence Minister Gholam-Hossein Mohseni
Ejei said following the incident that the main suspect in the affair was
arrested. "The terrorist group had ties with the US and Britain. These
countries were informed of the arrest by the Foreign Ministry," he said,
"but the countries did nothing to prevent these terror groups'
activity." more...
Iran, Turkey discuss ways
to further cooperation, nuclear issue
Mathaba (July
19, 2008) - The Iranian minister who visited Turkey at the
invitation of his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan left Ankara on Friday
evening. During the meeting, Mottaki and Erdogan stressed the need for
broadening Tehran-Ankara economic ties by carrying out more projects in
energy field including construction of power plants. Mottaki also
briefed Erdogan on latest developments on Iran's peaceful nuclear
program hoping that the upcoming talks between nuclear Iran and the
Group 5+1 would lead to positive outcome. Iran's top nuclear negotiator
Saeed Jalili arrived in Geneva, Austria, on July 18 to take part in the
talks due to be held on Saturday. In a major shift from a long-standing
policy, the US State Department announced on Wednesday that Under
Secretary of State William Burns, the third-highest US diplomat, would
join the 5+1 talks with Iran. The Turkish prime minister told Mottaki
that Ankara was happy that the trend of talks between Iran and the West
was progressing. Erdogan stressed that peaceful negotiations was the
only solution to Iran's nuclear standoff with the West. Mottaki also
held two rounds of talks with his Turkish counterpart and also met
Turkish President Abdullah Gul. His visit to Turkey was part of a
regional tour which had earlier took him to Oman and Syria.
Waiting
For Islam's Messiah CBN
News (July 17, 2008) - Iran's
president believes Allah has chosen him to prepare the world for the
coming of an Islamic 'savior' called the Mahdi. But before the Mahdi's
return, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad believes there must be global chaos - even
if he has to create it himself. Whether it's his belief that Israel
should be wiped off the map, denials of the Holocaust, obsession with
going nuclear, or support for radical Islamic terrorist groups, Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad is a man on a divine mission. To understand him, and that
mission, you have travel to the small dusty village of Jamkaran tucked
in a corner of Iran's holy city of Qom. On a recent Tuesday afternoon,
CBN News made that journey heading south out of Iran's capital, Tehran.
Some 95 miles, and a couple of wrong turns later, we arrived at the
Jamkaran mosque on the outskirts of Qom. Behind the Jamkaran mosque
there is a well. According to many Shiite Muslims, out of this well will
emerge one day their version of an Islamic 'savior.' They call him the
Mahdi or the 12th Imam. Ron Cantrell has written a book about the Mahdi.
He explained, "The Mahdi is a personage that is expected to come on the
scene, by Islam, as a messiah figure. He is slotted to come in the end
of time, according to their writings, very much like how we think of the
return of Jesus." Shiite Muslims believe the Mahdi, a descendent of the
Prophet Mohammed, vanished in the middle of the 9th century. Cantrell
told us, "The 12th Imam disappeared, around the age of 9, with a promise
that he would return and he would bring Islam to its total fruition as
the world's last standing religion." Enter Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Since
becoming the president of Iran in August 2005, Ahmadinejad has emerged
as the Mahdi's most influential follower. Cantrell said, "[Ahmadinejad]
has stated that his mandate is to pave the way for the coming of this
Islamic 'messiah'." In almost all his speeches, Ahmadinejad begs Allah
to hasten the return of the Mahdi. At a recent military parade attended
by CBN News in Tehran, Ahmadinejad said, "Oh, Allah, please facilitate
Imam Mahdi's early return and make us one of his supporters." He said
something similar last September just before ending a speech at the
United Nations in New York. Ahmadinejad said, "Oh mighty Lord, I pray to
you to hasten the emergence of your last repository [a reference to the
Mahdi], the promised one, that perfect and pure human being, the one
that will fill this world with justice and peace." more...
We only get one strike
The Jerusalem Post (July 16, 2008) -
An Israeli attack on Iran seems inevitable. If it succeeds, it will
return to Israel its deterrent power and send a clear message to the
saber-rattling jihadists that they were too early in beginning the
countdown for the disappearance of the Jewish state. If it fails, or
fails to achieve the majority of its objectives, it could amount to an
act of national suicide. Fanatical Muslims on every side will be
encouraged by the failure and outcome of an Iranian retaliation which
would cause heavy damage to the whole center of our country. Iran would
unquestionably be joined by its proxies on our borders, Hizbullah and
Syria on the north and Hamas on the south, the PLO jihad brigades under
various names, and the Arabs of Israel. The latter have already shown
their ability to block major traffic arteries and demonstrated that
their loyalties rest with their Arab brethren, not with the Jewish
state. The repeated declarations of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that
the aim of Iran is to wipe Israel off the world map should not be taken
as the empty, fiery words of a fanatical Muslim dictator, but as a plan
of action. True, Iran does not need a pretext, but an Israeli attack on
any nuclear installation in Iran, or just an invasion of Iranian air
space could be used as an excellent reason for mounting an all-out
missile attack. Since the late ninth century, the Shi'ites have been
expecting the emergence of the hidden imam-mahdi, armed with divine
power and followed by thousands of martyrdom-seeking warriors. He is
expected to conquer the world and establish Shi'ism as its supreme
religion and system of rule. His appearance would involve terrible war
and unusual bloodshed. Ahmadinejad, as mayor of Teheran, built a
spectacular boulevard through which the mahdi would enter into the
capital. There is no question that Ahmadinejad believes he has been
chosen to be the herald of the mahdi. Shi'ite Islam differs from Sunni
Islam regarding the identity of the mahdi. The Sunni mahdi is
essentially an anonymous figure; the Shi'ite mahdi is a divinely
inspired person with a real identity. However both Shi'ites and Sunnis
share one particular detail about "the coming of the hour" and the
dawning of messianic times: The Jews must all suffer a violent death, to
the last one. Both Shi'ites and Sunnis quote the famous hadith
attributed to the Prophet Muhammad: The last hour will not come unless
the Muslims fight against the Jews, and the Muslims would kill them
until the Jews hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and the stone or
the tree would say: "Muslim! Servant of Allah! Here is a Jew behind me;
come and kill him!" Not one Friday passes without this hadith being
quoted in sermons from one side of the Islamic world to the other.
more...
Ahmadinejad: We'll sever enemies' hands
The Jerusalem Post
(July 13,
2008) - Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threatened on Sunday
to "cut off the hands" of any would-be attackers of the Islamic
Republic. "Before the enemies touch the trigger, the armed forces will
cut off their hands," the state-run IRNA news agency quoted the leader
as saying. Ahmadinejad said that missile tests conducted last week
exhibited "only a small part" of Iran's defense capabilities, and that,
if necessary, further capabilities would be revealed. Ahmadinejad's
statement comes amid a report that US President George W. Bush has given
Israel the "amber light" to carry out an attack on Iran if diplomatic
efforts are unsuccessful in causing the Islamic Republic to back down
and relinquish its nuclear program. According to a senior Pentagon
official quoted by the British Sunday Times on Sunday morning, Bush has
given Israel free rein to attack Iran's nuclear sites if sanctions fail
in spite of opposition from US generals and regardless of the possible
economic and political repercussions of such a strike. "Amber means get
on with your preparations, stand by for immediate attack and tell us
when you're ready," the official said, adding however, that Israel had
been told that it could not count on the US to lend it military support.
Contradicting recent reports to the contrary, he also said that the IAF
would not be permitted to take off from American military bases in Iraq.
The Jerusalem Post could not confirm the report. Ahmadinejad's
aggressive statements contrasted strikingly with a report on Iranian
state TV Sunday, which quoted him as saying that Iran would welcome the
idea of setting up a US diplomatic office in Teheran. The report quoted
the firebrand Iranian leader as saying he would consider an American
request to set up an interests section in Iran. He said he "welcomes any
move to expand ties." But Ahmadinejad said his government hasn't
received any official request for such an office. Last month, US
officials floated the idea but no formal requests were made. more...
Iran says Solana nuclear talks July 19 in Geneva
AFP (July 11,
2008) - Iran said on Friday that its top nuclear negotiator and
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will hold their next talks on
ending the nuclear standoff on July 19, despite Western concern over the
test-firing of several missiles by Tehran. "They are to continue their
negotiations about the package on Saturday, July 19" in Geneva, said
Ahmad Khadem al-Melleh, spokesman for the secretariat of Iran's supreme
national security council, according to the state-run IRNA agency. World
powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States
-- last month presented Iran with a package aimed at ending the
five-year-old nuclear crisis, notably offering Tehran technological
incentives in exchange for suspending the sensitive process of uranium
enrichment. "The trip of Dr Jalili to Geneva is taking place after the
world powers welcomed the continuation of the talks on common points in
the two packages that have been proposed," the spokesman added. Iran has
proposed its own package -- a more all-embracing attempt to solve the
problems of the world including the nuclear standoff -- and has made
much of the common ground between the two proposals. The French foreign
ministry has, however, confirmed that Iran does not say in its response
that it is prepared to suspend uranium enrichment, which world powers
say they fear could be used to make a nuclear weapon. Solana's
spokeswoman Cristina Gallach declined to confirm the date, saying "we
are continuing to work on the meeting and we are in the process of
holding discussions" with Iran. But she reaffirmed that a meeting was
still scheduled by the end of this month. more...
Crossfire War - Israel Estimates Iran-Syria to Fire 250-300 Long Range
Missiles News Blaze
(July 3, 2008) - "How Many Missiles will be
Fired from Iran-Syria-Lebanon Against Israel in the Next War?" was the
subject of a lecture given by Major-General (res.) Eitan Ben Eliahu at
the Israel Missile Defense Association (IMDA) (www.imda.org.il) a new
link with Crossfire War. Haaretz reports General Eliahu headed the
Israel Air Force (IAF) from 1996-2000 and in his lecture earlier this
week he estimated Syria-Iran will launch 250-300 long range Shahab-Scud
missiles at Israel in the next war. Eliahu estimated Hezbollah in
Lebanon will be able to launch 5,000 short range missiles, an increase
from the 4,200 they fired in 2006. Hezbollah does possess some longer
range missiles which can hit Tel Aviv and no doubt they will be used as
quickly as possible since the IAF will make destroying the longer range
missiles their top priority whether they are fired from
Lebanon-Syria-Iran. Eliahu expects the full scale fighting to last 20
days. [HAARETZ]
In the course of his discussion General Eliahu mentioned Israel
operates under a security doctrine that does allow for An Initiated War
(preventive strike) as in 1967 which was so successful the war
lasted only six days and Israel was able to take the strategic Golan
Heights, a Syrian obsession ever since and Damascus' main motive for
entering the war this year. He then said if an Initiated War is not
possible then the doctrine provides for a Pre-Emptive Attack to disrupt
the enemy's preparation. The IAF attack on the Syrian nuclear
base last September was an example. Eliahu then mentioned if war
does result then Israel Defense Forces (IDF) must conduct a holding
operation during which they must achieve Aerial Superiority. He probably
realizes if/when Israel does conduct a pre-emptive attack on Iran, for
disruptive purposes, it would mean full scale war, beyond the serious
flare ups of the past two years which did not yet lead to Israel's
offensive into Gaza. Eliahu stated Israel should
expect the next war to require action on one to three fronts and in
order to achieve victory the IDF must crush the enemy on one of the
fronts, which would be either Hezbollah in Lebanon or Syria. Since the
ground area to cover is smaller in Lebanon Israel's offensive there
should not take as long as in the case with Syria. Jerusalem may also
prefer a quick victory against the hated Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah even if
it means using nuclear weapons. Concerning Palestinian units in Gaza
Eliahu recommends a war of containment which would include a ground
offensive. Against Iran he recommended long range attacks should be
continued. more...
Russia Warns Israel Against Tehran Attack
The Nation
(June 24, 2008) -
Russia, one of the world's major powers, has warned of "disasterous
consequences" if Israel attacked Iran's nuclear facilities. "If things
happen like threats of force and unilateral sanctions outside the
framework of the [UN] Security Council, it is distracting from the
negotiating process," Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United
Nations, said when asked to comment on a newspaper report about a large
military exercise carried out by Israel this month as a rehearsal for a
bombing attack on Iran. On Saturday, The Washington Post said senior
U.S. officials confirmed that Israel had held a massive operation that
involved the types of warplanes, distances and maneuvers required for
airstrikes on Iran, a story which was first reported by The New York
Times. "A military move would have devastating consequences for the
prospect of resolving the Iranian nuclear issue, for the region and
internationally," the Russian ambassador added. The Post said, "The mock
(Israeli) operation reflected a growing policy schism over Iran among
major international players at a time when U.S. politics may freeze
major decisions until a new administration is in place, its officials
are confirmed and a policy review is complete." more...
Israel on the Iran Brink
Wall Street Journal
(June 23, 2008) -
Israel isn't famous for welcoming public scrutiny of its most sensitive
military plans. But we doubt Jerusalem officials were dismayed to see
news of their recent air force exercises splashed over the front pages
of the Western press. Those exercises – reportedly involving about 100
fighters, tactical bombers, refueling planes and rescue helicopters –
were conducted about 900 miles west of Israel's shores in the
Mediterranean. Iran's nuclear facilities at Bushehr, Isfahan and Natanz
all fall roughly within the same radius, albeit in the opposite
direction. The point was not lost on Tehran, which promptly warned of
"strong blows" in the event of a pre-emptive Israeli attack. The more
important question is whether the meaning of Israel's exercise
registered in Western capitals. It's been six years since Iran's secret
nuclear programs were publicly exposed, and Israel has more or less
bided its time as the Bush Administration and Europe have pursued
diplomacy to induce Tehran to cease enriching uranium. It hasn't worked.
Iran has rejected repeated offers of technical and economic assistance,
most recently this month. Despite four years of pleading, the
Administration has failed to win anything but weak U.N. sanctions.
Russia plans to sell advanced antiaircraft missiles to Iran and finish
work on a nuclear reactor at Bushehr, though spent fuel from that
reactor could eventually be diverted and reprocessed into weapons-usable
plutonium. Chinese companies still invest in Iran, while the U.N.'s
chief nuclear inspector, Mohamed ElBaradei, has repeatedly downplayed
Iran's nuclear threat. As for the U.S., December's publication of a
misleading National Intelligence Estimate that claimed Iran had halted
nuclear weaponization signaled America's own lack of seriousness toward
Iranian ambitions. Barack Obama is leading in the Presidential polls and
portrays as a virtue his promise to negotiate with Iran "without
precondition" – i.e., without insisting that Tehran stop enriching
uranium. All the while Iran continues to enrich, installing thousands of
additional centrifuges of increasingly more sophisticated design while
it buries key facilities underground. No wonder Israel is concluding
that it will have to act on its own to prevent a nuclear Iran. Earlier
this month, Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz, a former army chief of
staff, warned that "if Iran continues with its program for developing
nuclear weapons, we will attack." Other officials distanced themselves
from those remarks, but September's one-shot raid on Syria's nuclear
reactor ought to be proof of Israel's determination. An Israeli strike
on Iran's nuclear sites would of course look nothing like the Syrian
operation. The distances are greater; the targets are hardened, defended
and dispersed; hundreds of sorties and several days would be required.
Iran would retaliate, with the help of Hezbollah and Hamas, possibly
sparking a regional conflict as large as the 1973 Yom Kippur war. Mr.
ElBaradei predicted this weekend that such an attack would turn the
Middle East into a "ball of fire," yet his own apologies for Iran and
the West's diplomatic failures are responsible for bringing the region
to this pass. They have convinced the mullahs that the powers
responsible for maintaining world order lack the will to stop Iran.
Israelis surely don't welcome a war in which they will suffer. Yet they
have no choice but to defend themselves against an enemy that vows to
obliterate them if Iran acquires the weapon to do so. The tragic paradox
of the past six years is that the diplomatic and intelligence evasions
offered in the name of avoiding war with Iran have done the most to
bring us close to this brink. Appeasement that ends in war is a familiar
theme of history. Secret Bilderberg Agenda To Microchip Americans Leaked Prison Planet (June 10, 2008) - Sources from inside the 2008 Bilderberg meeting have leaked the details of what elitists were discussing in Chantilly Virginia last week and the talking points were ominous - a plan to microchip Americans under the pretext of fighting terrorist groups which will be identified as blonde haired, blue eyed westerners. Veteran Bilderberg sleuth Jim Tucker relies on sources who regularly attend Bilderberg as aides and assistants but who are not Bilderberg members themselves. The information they provided this year is bone-chilling for those who have tracked the development of the plan to make the general public consider implanted microchips as a convenience as routine as credit cards. "Under the heading of resisting terrorism there were points made about how the terrorist organizations are recruiting people who do not look like terrorists - blonde, blue eyed boys - they're searching hard for those types to become the new mad bombers," said Tucker. Ominously, Tucker's source also told him that Bilderberg were discussing the microchipping of humans on a mass scale, which would be introduced under the pretext of fighting terrorism whereby the "good guys" would be allowed to travel freely from airports so long as their microchip could be scanned and the information stored in a database. Tucker said the idea was also sold on the basis that it would help hospital staff treat a patient in an emergency situation because a scan of the chip would provide instantaneous access to health details. Tucker underscored that Bilderberg were talking about subdermally implanted chips and not merely RFID chips contained in clothing. The discussion took place in a main conference hall and was part of the agenda, not an off-hand remark in the hotel bar. Such a bizarre concept may seem unbelievable to some, but over the last ten years there have been dozens of examples of people accepting implanted chips for a variety of different reasons. In 2004, Mexico's attorney general and 160 of his office staff were implanted with tracker chips to control access to to secure areas of their headquarters. The Baja Beach Club in Barcelona and other nightclubs around the world are already offering implantable chips to customers who want to pay for drinks with the wave of a hand and also get access to VIP areas of the club lounge. Bilderberg skeptical of attack on Iran Tucker's source told him that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates did attend Bilderberg despite him not appearing on the official list. Tucker said that his sources told him Gates was in attendance to present his case for war with Iran, but that the majority of Bilderberg members were against an attack at this time. "The Europeans were generally opposed to an invasion of Iran - Gates made the regular war propaganda drill about how Iran is a nuclear threat to everybody," said Tucker, adding that European Bilderbergers made snide comments about where such nuclear weapons actually were being kept and at one point joking that they were possibly "in Saddam Hussein's tomb". Despite Bilderberg opposition, Tucker said that the administration was still considering an attack before Bush leaves office in January. "At least 90 per cent of the Europeans oppose a war, probably closer to 100 per cent," said Tucker, adding, "most of the Americans were passive and deferential to the Secretary of Defense and Condoleezza Rice's pitch in so far as Iran is concerned". Tucker said that most Americans present at the meeting were opposed to attacking Iran but dare not be as visible and loud in their opposition as the Europeans. Energy and oil prices
"One of the Bilderberg boys raised this question - should we put a
lid on the rise in oil prices, are we reaching the point of diminishing
returns," said Tucker, adding that Bilderberg noted how Americans were
trading in their SUV's in record numbers for small and more fuel
efficient cars and using more public transport to combat high gas
prices. Tucker's source said that Bilderberg were predicting $5 for a
gallon of gas by the end of this summer and oil over $150 dollars a
barrel, but that this was a ceiling and oil prices would probably begin
to decline thereafter because they thought the acceleration had happened
too quickly.
As we previously reported, Bilderberg called for oil prices to soar
in 2005 when oil was a mere $40 a barrel. During the conference in
Germany, Henry Kissinger told his fellow attendees that the elite had
resolved to ensure that oil prices would double over the course of the
next 12-24 months, which is exactly what happened.
During their 2006 meeting in Ottawa Canada, Bilderberg agreed to
push for $105 a barrel before the end of 2008. With that target having
been smashed months ago, the acceleration towards $150 is outstripping
even Bilderberg's goal, which is why the elitists expressed a desire to
cool prices at least in the short term. Just two days after he left
Bilderberg, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, George W. Bush and others
expressed support for a strong dollar and Bernanke hinted that interest
rates could rise, which immediately caused oil prices to drop in line
with Bilderberg's consensus.
Ultimately the system being developed now by the mystery of iniquity will require either a pledge of allegiance to the man of sin or death. So in the name of peace and security, the deceitful system is being put in place that will destroy all those who refuse to worship this man who would claim to be God. Regarding Iran, I think this summer may bring about God's intervention and destruction of the Iranian-Turkish-Russian allied forces that are prophesied to attack Israel from the North. There are many aspects to this prophecy that are coming into alignment and even though that is the case, I still can't claim to be 100% sure. Just read through the Gog/Magog and Isaiah 17 news to see why I think this is forming on the near horizon. Will this involve action on the part of America? I don't think so, although I can't rule out strategic action against America, the great Satan, coinciding with an attack on Israel, the little Satan. Keep watching and praying!
0:02:25
Iran and Syria sign missile pact
Gulf In The Media
(June 2, 2008) - Iran's
Revolutionary Guards Corps has created an independent missile command to
be integrated with a Syrian missile program, military sources said. The
DEBKAfile news agency reported Sunday that the joint command was
formalized in a treaty signed by the Syrian Defense Minister Hassan
Turkmani in Tehran last week. Under the agreement, Syria's missile units
would come under the new Iranian missile section and their operations
would be fully coordinated with Tehran. Iranian officers are to be
attached to Syrian units, while Syrian officers are posted to the
Iranian command. Military sources told DEBKAfile that Iran's control of
four hostile missile fronts would virtually neutralize the American and
Israeli anti-missile defense systems in the region.
'Unavoidable' attack on Iran looms, says Israeli minister
Guardian UK (June
6,
2008) - An Israeli minister has said an attack on Iran's
nuclear sites will be "unavoidable" if Tehran refuses to halt its
alleged weapons programme. In the most explicit threat yet by a member
of Ehud Olmert's government, Shaul Mofaz, a deputy prime minister, said
the hardline Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, "would disappear
before Israel does". "If Iran continues with its programme for
developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are
ineffective," Mofaz, who is also Israel's transport minister, said in
comments published today by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. "Attacking
Iran in order to stop its nuclear plans will be unavoidable."
Iranian-born Mofaz is a former army chief and defence minister. He is a
member of Olmert's security cabinet and leads regular strategic
coordination talks with the US state department. Iran denies trying to
build nuclear weapons and has defied western pressure to abandon uranium
enrichment. The leadership in Tehran has threatened that if attacked the
country will retaliate against Israel - believed to have the Middle
East's only nuclear arsenal - and American targets in the region.
Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for Israel to be wiped off the map
since becoming president. On Monday, he said Israel was "about to die
and will soon be erased from the geographical scene". Olmert met the US
president, George Bush, on Wednesday to discuss concerns over Iran. The
Israeli prime minister, who is being pressured to resign over a
corruption scandal, has said that Iran's nuclear threat "must be stopped
by all possible means". Israeli planes bombed Syria in September,
destroying what the US administration said was a partly built nuclear
reactor using North Korean help. Syria denied having any such facility.
UN inspectors announced this week that they would be visiting Syria to
investigate the American claim.
Turkey, Iran Coordinating Action Against Kurdish Rebels: report
Africasia.com
(June 5,
2008) - Turkey and Iran have carried out simultaneous
military action against separatist Kurdish rebels holed up in northern
Iraq and are sharing intelligence, a Turkish general was quoted as
saying Thursday. "When they start action, we also do... They carry out
operations from the Iranian side of the border and we do so from the
Turkish side," land forces commander Ilker Basbug said, the CNN Turk
news channel reported on its web site. The general said no such
coordinated action had taken place in the past two months, but that it
could be launched again in the future. Separatist Kurdish militants of
both Turkish and Iranian origin take refuge in the mountains of northern
Iraq, where the frontiers of the three countries meet, and use camps
there as a launching pad for attacks into Turkey and Iran. "We are
working in coordination with Iran in the region... We are sharing
information," Basbug said. Turkish and Iranian forces often shell rebel
positions across the border. Since December, Turkey has also carried out
several bombing raids in northern Iraq and in February conducted a
week-long ground offensive against camps of the separatist Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) there. The PKK, which has waged a bloody campaign
for Kurdish self-rule in southeast Turkey, is closely associated with
Iran's Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), which has recently
stepped up attacks on the Iranian security forces. Turkey and Iran have
been helping each other on security matters, primarily to stop the
movement of rebels across their porous border, since they signed a
cooperation agreement in the late 1990s. Turkish media have reported
that the two neighbours hammered out a fresh deal in April involving
intelligence sharing. Following an air raid against PKK camps in
northern Iraq in May, the Turkish army said senior rebel commander Cemil
Bayik fled into a neighbouring country together with a large group of
militants, engaging in clashes with local security forces. The army did
not name the country, but it is believed to be Iran. It said that its
security forces killed many of Bayik's bodyguards, with the commander's
fate unknown. Listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the
international community, the PKK has been fighting for self-rule in
Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast since 1984. The conflict has claimed
more than 37,000 lives.
Ahmadinejad says Israel will soon disappear
Breitbart.com
(June 2,
2008) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad predicted on
Monday that Muslims would uproot "satanic powers" and repeated his
controversial belief that Israel will soon disappear, the Mehr news
agency reported. "I must announce that the Zionist regime (Israel), with
a 60-year record of genocide, plunder, invasion and betrayal is about to
die and will soon be erased from the geographical scene," he said.
"Today, the time for the fall of the satanic power of the United States
has come and the countdown to the annihilation of the emperor of power
and wealth has started." Since taking the presidency in August 2005,
Ahmadinejad has repeatedly provoked international outrage by predicting
Israel is doomed to disappear. "I tell you that with the unity and
awareness of all the Islamic countries all the satanic powers will soon
be destroyed," he said to a group of foreign visitors ahead of the 19th
anniversary of the death of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini. Ahmadinejad also again expressed his apocalyptic vision that
tyranny in the world be abolished by the return to earth of the Mahdi,
the 12th imam of Shiite Islam, alongside great religious figures
including Jesus Christ. "With the appearance of the promised saviour...
and his companions such as Jesus Christ, tyranny will be soon be
eradicated in the world." Ahmadinejad has always been a devotee of the
Mahdi, who Shiites believe disappeared more than a thousand years ago
and who will return one day to usher in a new era of peace and harmony.
His emphasis on the Mahdi has been a cause of controversy inside Iran
with critics saying he would be better solving bread-and-butter domestic
problems rather than talking about Iran's divine responsibility.
Exclusive: Limited US attack on Iranian Revolutionary Guards bases in
sight
DEBKAfile (June 2,
2008) - Our Washington sources report that president George
W. Bush is closer than ever before to ordering a limited missile-air
bombardment of the IRGC-al Qods Brigade’s installations in Iran. It is
planned to target training camps and the munitions factories pumping
fighters, missiles and roadside bombs to the Iraqi insurgency, Lebanese
Hizballah and Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza. Iran is geared up
for counteraction. US intelligence estimates that Tehran’s counteraction
will likewise be on a limited scale and therefore any US-Iranian
military encounter will not be allowed to explode into a major
confrontation. Because this US assault is not planned to extend to
Iran’s nuclear installations, Tehran is not expected to hit back at
distant American targets in the Persian Gulf or at Israel. DEBKAfile’s
Iranian sources report, however, that Iran’s military preparations for
countering an American attack are far broader than envisaged in
Washington. Tehran would view a US attack on the IRGC bases as a casus
belli and might react in ways and on a scale unanticipated in
Washington. Two days ago, Iran’s defense minister Gen. Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar
warned: “Iran’s Armed Forces are fully prepared to counter any military
attack with any intensity and to make the enemy regret initiating any
such incursions.” According to DEBKAfile’s Iranian and military sources,
the IRGC had by mid-May completed their preparations for a US missile,
air or commando assault on their command centers and bases in reprisal
for Iranian intervention in Iraq. These preparations encompass al Qods’
arms, most of them undercover, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Sudan.
At home, the Revolutionary Guards have evacuated their key bases
together with manpower and equipment to regular army sites or temporary
quarters in villages located in remote corners of eastern and northern
Iran. Their main headquarters and central training center at the Imam
Ali University in northern Tehran are deserted except for sentries on
the gates. Indoctrination seminaries and dormitories hosting fighting
strength in the holy town of Qom are empty, as is the Manzariyah
training center east of the capital. Deserted too is the main training
camp near Isfahan for insurgents and terrorists from Iraq, Afghanistan,
Baluchistan, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. It is here that they take
courses from friendly al Qods training staff on how to sabotage
strategic targets such as routes, bridges and military installations,
and the activation of the extra-powerful roadside bombs (EFPs) which
have had such a deadly effect on American troops in Iraq.
SYRIA: Israeli hopes for a Tehran-Damascus rift collapse Los Angeles Times (May 2008) - Iranian and Syrian officials poured a bucket of ice water this week on Israeli hopes for a rupture in the long-standing Tehran-Damascus relationship. Israeli officials had demanded Syria break ties with Iran in exchange for returning the occupied Golan Heights to Syria. Instead, Syria this week appeared to strengthen its ties with Iran, signing a defense cooperation pact in a showy Tehran photo-op on Tuesday. That same day, Syrian President Bashar Assad told a visiting delegation of British lawmakers that Damascus' relationship with Tehran was not up for negotiation. In reality, despite a lot of media attention, there was never really much chance of a peace deal between Syria and Israel or a break in ties between Damascus and Tehran. At least not anytime soon. Israeli and Syrian leaders admitted this month that the two countries were engaged in peace talks mediated by Turkey. Almost immediately, the Israeli foreign minister said Syria would have to cut ties with Iran, and its allies Hezbollah and Hamas, before Israel would consider making peace and handing back the Golan Heights. A Western diplomat in Damascus closely tracking the indirect Syria-Israel talks bluntly called any hopes of dangling the Golan Heights (a hilly plateau about the size |
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