castledoom.com

[JuntaJoe]

Many years ago, the world turned a blind eye to Israel bombing a fledgling nuclear reactor in Saddam's Iraq. The time has come for Washington and our NATO allies to give the same discreet green light to Ariel Sharon again for Iran's new reactor. It should be pounded flat given Iran's remarks today.


Iran Leader Calls for Israel's Destruction

October 26, 2005 2:34 PM EDT
TEHRAN, Iran - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared Wednesday that Israel is a "disgraceful blot" that should be "wiped off the map" - fiery words that Washington said underscores its concern over Iran's nuclear program.

Ahmadinejad's speech to thousands of students at a "World without Zionism" conference set a hard-line foreign policy course sharply at odds with that of his moderate predecessor, echoing the sentiments of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of Iran's Islamic revolution.

The United States said Ahmadinejad's remarks show that Washington's fears about Iran's nuclear program are accurate.

"I think it reconfirms what we have been saying about the regime in Iran," White House press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters in Washington. "It underscores the concerns we have about Iran's nuclear intentions."

Ahmadinejad also condemned Iran's neighbors which seek to break new ground in their relations with Israel. "Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury," state-run television quoted him as saying.

Relations between Israel and several Persian Gulf states have been thawing amid Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September. Bahrain announced in September it was ending a decades-old law banning trade ties with Israel. In October, Qatar said it was donating $6 million to help build a soccer stadium for a mixed Arab-Jewish team, the first such financial assistance by an Arab state for any town inside Israel.

Israel has been at the forefront of nations calling for an end to Iran's nuclear program, which the United States and many others in the West say is aimed at acquiring weapons of mass destruction. Iran insists the program is for generating electricity.

Referring to Palestinian suicide bomb attacks in Israel, Ahmadinejad said: "there is no doubt that the new wave in Palestine will soon wipe off this disgraceful blot from the face of the Islamic world."

Ahmadinejad's speech came hours before a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up in the Israeli town of Hadera, killing five people. Iran aids several militant Palestinian groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, with support and training through proxies among Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.

"Ahmadinejad has clearly declared the doctrine of his government," said Mohammad Sadeq Hosseini, an expert on Middle Eastern affairs. "He is returning Iran to the revolutionary goals it was pursuing in the 1980s."

Reacting to the Iranian president's speech, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Ahmadinejad and Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar "speak openly about destroying the Jewish state ... and it appears the problem with these extremists is that they followed through on their violent declarations with violent actions."

Ebrahim Yazdi, a former Iranian foreign minister, said Ahmadinejad's remarks harmed Iran.

"Such comments provoke the international community against us. It's not to Iran's interests at all. It's harmful to Iran to make such a statement," he said.

In Madrid, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos summoned Iran's ambassador to protest Ahmadinejad's comments. Moratinos said he rejected the remarks in the strongest possible terms.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Baptiste Mattei also condemned the remarks "with the utmost firmness."

Ahmadinejad became president in August after winning elections two months earlier. He replaced Mohammad Khatami, a reformist who advocated international dialogue and tried to improve relations with the West.

Iran announced earlier this year that it had fully developed solid fuel technology for missiles, a major breakthrough that increases their accuracy. The Shahab-3, with a range of 810 miles to more than 1,200 miles, is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to Israel and U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press.

[DrJoshuaFalken]

Cant we just leave the Jews alone for once? They havent gotten a break in centuries.

I can understand why Iran would want the Jew gold, but still.

[JuntaJoe]

DrJoshuaFalken wrote:
I can understand why Iran would want the Jew gold, but still.

Jewish gold?

Israel's economy is based on agriculture, Dead Sea products, tourism, and arms sales. There is no gold, or other significat natural resources in that desert. If it wasn't for US subsidizing about a third of their entire budget, Israel would be broke.

There are rich Jews in the world, but most of them live somewhere other than Israel. Overrunning that country for profit will likely only produce a lot of oranges and Galil rifles.

Want to overrun a country for profit? Kuwait, Brunai, and Qatar are the better choices.

[DrJoshuaFalken]

JuntaJoe wrote: DrJoshuaFalken wrote:
I can understand why Iran would want the Jew gold, but still.

Jewish gold?



South Park reference.

[JuntaJoe]

DrJoshuaFalken wrote: South Park reference.

Broadcast TV watcher who chases the cable guy off his property with dogs and large gardening tools. :P


Never seen Southpark, Sex in the City, etc.

[Waray]

I know a lot of Iranians. (Heck, I technically have a few in my family now :/).

They have mixed feelings, some consider it a mayor bad thing this new president, others feel that he hasn't got the support to do something radical.

It's interesting how they always throw it on antizionism instead of antisemitism. I suggest bombing his palace and the nuclear facilities, while claiming it has nothing to do with being opposed to islam but as protest against extremists in Sudan.

I like Isra?l. Been around there a few times and I'd rather not return to a chemical dump.
________
Grape Ape

[JuntaJoe]

Someday, that country will erupt in revolution again.

No matter your complaints about the Iraq War, if it makes democracy work then the 60% of Iran that is under age 25 will take notice.

When they see Shiites living in freedom and still enjoying moderate Islam then the hardliners will be looking for a new job.

But that nuke facility will botch the whole thing. That hardliner council sees how we tiptoe around North Korea and will lie, steal, and murder just to buy themselves time to become nuke independent and be able to dictate terms to the world.

Israel has been given a gift wrapped excuse to bomb that nuke facility and the West needs to give them the green light.

No need to start a war or bomb like crazy either. Just a surgical strike at the main facility that will push back Iran's nuke efforts by a few years. Long enough to stabilize Iraq and give a chance to influence the very youthful Iranian population.

[DrJoshuaFalken]

JuntaJoe wrote: DrJoshuaFalken wrote: South Park reference.

Broadcast TV watcher who chases the cable guy off his property with dogs and large gardening tools. :P


Never seen Southpark, Sex in the City, etc.

They have South Park on broadcast TV here from 2300 to 000.

[JuntaJoe]

Ahmadinejad's Israel Remarks Split Iran

October 31, 2005 12:01 AM EST
TEHRAN, Iran - Pro-democracy reformers denounced Iran's hard-line president Sunday for calling for Israel's annihilation, saying it harmed the country's international standing.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that Israel is a "disgraceful blot" that should be "wiped off the map," prompting international condemnation and an Israeli demand Iran be expelled from the United Nations.

On Sunday, Ahmadinejad said his comments represented Iran's long-standing policy toward the Jewish state enunciated by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who led the 1979 revolution, the Islamic Republic News Agency, or IRNA, said.

"These words are the same ones that the late Imam (Khomeini) said," Ahmadinejad said, explaining that he only added one sentence about "the powers of arrogance," seen as a reference to the United States. Iran does not recognize the existence of Israel and Khomeini had repeatedly called for its destruction.

But former reformist president Mohammad Khatami criticized Ahmadinejad, saying "those words have created hundreds of political and economic problems for us in the world," IRNA said.

It was the first time in a quarter century that there was a clear-cut rift over a major policy position drawn up by Khomeini.

"Ahmadinejad's remarks harmed Iran. It was irresponsible and illogical," said Rajabali Mazrouei, a prominent reformer and former deputy. "We can't be more extremist than Palestinians themselves."

Morad Veisi, a leading political analyst, said it was the first time that an Iranian head of state was openly calling for the destruction of Israel.

"Khomeini was a spiritual leader, not head of government. Ahmadinejad apparently is not even familiar with the world of politics," he said.

Extremists, however, were motivated by Ahmadinejad's remarks. About 300 men and women turned up Sunday at the offices of the Headquarters for Commemorating Martyrs of the Global Islamic Movement to volunteer for suicide bomb attacks against Israel.

A spokesman for the group said it had signed up more than 45,000 volunteers to undergo training for suicide attacks since it began recruiting in June 2004.

"More than 1000 of them have already been trained. Many of them don't need training since they are already members of the elite Revolutionary Guards and paramilitary Basij forces," Mohammad Ali Samadi said.

Several senior officials, including presidential adviser Mojtaba Rahmandoust and Parliamentary speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, were at the gathering.

"The Iranian nation wants this regime removed from the world map," Rahmandoust told the gathering held at a building owned by the semiofficial Martyr Foundation.

In London, Britain said Iran poses a challenge to the international community, citing the call to wipe out Israel and charging Tehran was involved in the Iraqi insurgency and had nuclear weapons ambitions.

"Iran has to change its behavior in terms of support for terrorism, in deceit over nuclear weapons and in terms of its relationship and threats to other members of the international community," British Defense Secretary John Reid told the British Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday.

Reid said Iran appeared to be trying to confront the international community, which is considering how to respond.

Reid said he did not have conclusive proof that the Iranian government was involved in providing weapons to insurgents in Iraq. But he said there was evidence of the involvement of Iranian elements in the Iraqi insurgency.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press.

[JuntaJoe]

Holy Crap! Have the diplomatic pinheads gone insane?

Read this and begin digging your personal fallout shelter.


U.S., EU Ready to Accept Iran Nuke Program

November 10, 2005 6:54 AM EST
VIENNA, Austria - The United States and Europe are ready to compromise with Iran over its nuclear program and have tentatively approved a plan that would allow it to make the precursor of enriched uranium, senior officials said Thursday.

The officials said the plan would allow Iran to convert raw uranium into the gas that is spun by centrifuges into enriched uranium. But the actual enrichment would take place in Russia, the officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to reveal the strategy.

Depending on its level, enrichment can be used to generate energy or make nuclear weapons. Iran insists it is interested in the technology only to produce power, but the United States and many other countries fear Tehran wants to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels to use as the fissile core in warheads.

Iran has refused to bow to international demands that it renounce its right to enrichment and related activities and in August resumed uranium conversion. That prompted Britain, France and Germany to break off talks with Tehran meant to dispel fears about its nuclear agenda. It also led a September meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board to approve a resolution clearing the path for Iran's referral to the U.N. Security Council at a Nov. 24 board meeting.

Publicly, both the Americans and the three European nations representing the European Union have insisted that Iran needed to stop conversion - an enrichment-related activity - to defuse the threat of Security Council referral.

But a senior European official told the AP Thursday that the EU-Three and Washington were now prepared to allow Iran to continue conversion as long as the gas produced was shipped to Russia and enriched there. That would allow international control over the level of enrichment, ensuring that it was below the levels that can be used for weapons. The development was first reported by The New York Times on Thursday.

A diplomat close to the IAEA confirmed the change in strategy but refused to elaborate.

The official emphasized the plan would not formally be proposed by the Americans and Europeans. Instead, he said, they were looking to the Russians to make such an offer that they then could approve.

That would give Washington, Paris, London and Berlin a chance to save diplomatic face after months of saying they would not accept conversion, he indicated.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press.

[s_stabeler]

not really a problem, that strategy, actually. what it really means is that the enrichment takes place elsewhere, so as long as russia plays along, we can force them to use non-weapons-grade uranium, as long as we prevent re-processing as part of the strategy ( by we, i am referring not to the us, but all the countries talking to iran)

aren't there reactors that use low-enriched uranium anyhow? give iran one of those, and allow them to enrich uranium to a low level under IAEA/UN inspection, to force them not to enrich it to a high evel, then if they just want nuclear power, they can have it (get them to re-process it in another country, and NOT russia, re-processing produces nuke-grade plutonium, i don't know what grade uranium is produced) then, if the do start producing high-enriched uranium, then it's a slam-dunk security council eferral, and I don't think there'll be a repeat of Iraq, it would be proven that they were trying to get nukes,through common sense, and therefore, cast iron excuse for severe action, i.e. military, against them fo breaking the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, so then they woud have the UN attacking them. is iran a member of the UN? could prove interesting as i think all members of the UN have to provide forces for UN missions, they could end up with their own army forced to attack them. mind, how good are their revolutionary guard?

[JuntaJoe]

There is no such thing as "peaceful" enrichment. They need only expel inspectors for a short time to obtain needed U-235 supplies. Given that Iraq routinely expelled inspectors while the West simply whined them back in for a decade shows that we will not be forceful about 100% mandatory inspection at all times.

What we need is an Israeli air strike on the facilities right after we start a minor revolution there. How to do that? Note what happened at Tehran university in this next AP report.


Iran Leader's Radicalism Angering Allies

November 27, 2005 10:48 PM EST
TEHRAN, Iran - Critics say the 1980s-style radicalism of ultraconservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is hurting Iran at home and abroad - to the point that even his natural allies in parliament have rejected his three choices to run the all-important oil ministry.

The Islamic hard-liner appears undeterred, but pragmatists in the ruling hierarchy are growing restless and looking for ways to contain him.

"Ahmadinejad's behavior has annoyed many fellow conservatives. That he doesn't like to consult with anybody outside his small circle of old friends is a reality," said Ghodratollah Rahmani, a conservative writer.

"He doesn't consult even with knowledgeable people in his own camp."

Even extremists within the hard-line camp want Ahmadinejad to be more responsive to their advice.

"If he doesn't want to hear no for a fourth time, he has to consult with people outside his circle of friends," said Mohammad Nabi Habibi, leader of the Islamic Coalition Society.

Since taking office in August, Ahmadinejad has jettisoned Iran's moderation in foreign policy and pursued a purge in the government, replacing pragmatic veterans with former military commanders and inexperienced religious hard-liners.

The former Tehran mayor's aim is to install a new generation of rulers who will revive the radical fundamentalist goals pursued in the 1980s under the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, father of the 1979 revolution that toppled Iran's pro-Western shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

All pragmatists, including those seeking better ties with the West, have either lost their posts or likely will lose them soon, pushing the government toward an ever more radical stance in the already volatile Middle East and in the international dispute over Iran's nuclear program, which the United States believes is seeking to build weapons.

Ahmadinejad's call last month for Israel to be "wiped off the map" intensified international concerns about his policies. Iran's resumption of uranium conversion angered some nations that have suspicions over whether the Tehran regime is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Iranian moderates say the president has harmed his country by isolating it internationally, and now Ahmadinejad's friends are lining up against him. He suffered a humiliating defeat last week when his choice for oil minister was rejected for a third time, an unprecedented failure for an Iranian president.

While parliament is dominated by Ahmadinejad's conservative allies, the president's isolationist stance and his failure to consult on Cabinet appointments have annoyed lawmakers. They warn they will not approve any future nominee unless Ahmadinejad first consults parliament.

Pragmatists within the ruling establishment worry that Ahmadinejad's radical agenda has sidelined a cadre of experienced men at home and isolated the country abroad.

Earlier this month, the government announced that 40 ambassadors and senior diplomats, including supporters of better ties with the West, would be fired. Also let go were pragmatists who handled Iran's nuclear negotiations with Europe under Ahmadinejad's reformist predecessor, Mohammad Khatami.

For the first time, a cleric was appointed to head Tehran University, Iran's oldest university, amid noisy protests Sunday by students over the appointment, state media reported. The university has been the scene of weekly Friday prayer services since the 1979 Islamic revolution, but also has also been a hub for many protests, including pro-democracy student demonstrations in 1999.

In the works, but still not made public, is a deeper shake-up of the establishment in which Ahmadinejad is replacing hundreds of governors and senior officials at various ministries with young, inexperienced Islamic hard-liners who oppose good relations with the West. The changes include putting fundamentalists in key posts at security agencies.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran's president in the 1990s who remains influential with some in both the hard-line and moderate camps, said the purge has made Iran vulnerable.

"Unfortunately, some are on the offensive, damaging what has been done, and purging competent people. This is hurting the country," Rafsanjani said.

But Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state, has endorsed Ahmadinejad's course.

"Ahmadinejad's government represents the people's tendency to revolutionary slogans," he said earlier this month. "For any assessment of the president and his Cabinet, one has to give him time and opportunity."

Mahdi Kalhor, a senior adviser to the president, said Iranians and other nations have to accept that Ahmadinejad prefers to work in isolation.

"Yes, the president consults (only) his trusted friends," Kalhor said. "Ahmadinejad has a revolutionary management policy. He makes decisions within 24 hours that previous governments used to take within five years."

Copyright 2005 Associated Press.

[s_stabeler]

OK, now that seems mad. he's firing competant people from jobs which rearely have competant people in them? insane. if you have cometant people in politics, you keep them, as they are so rare. soon, I bet there'll be a bit of a collapse in iran, I hope he doesn't purge any nuclear saftey organisations they have, or there'll have to be action.

[JuntaJoe]

It's not just all rhetoric going on. The military on both sides are taking concrete steps. Israel is looking to deflect the missiles and Iran is looking to swat down an airstrike.





Israel Successfully Tests Missile Defense

JERUSALEM - Israel carried out a successful test of its Arrow missile defense system on Friday, intercepting and destroying a missile similar to Iran's long-range Shahab-3.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said that in light of Iran's threats against Israel and efforts to develop non-conventional weapons, Israel needs an effective shield.

"The state of Israel, which is a clear target of each of these missiles and of the production stations of Iran's non-conventional weapons, reserves the right to have other capabilities to prevent this threat," he said.

The Shahab-3 can be equipped with nuclear warheads, and Tehran has said the missile could reach Israel and various U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

Last month, the European Union accused Iran of having documents that show how to make nuclear warheads, and joined the U.S. in warning Tehran that it could face referral to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.

State-owned Israel Aircraft Industries and U.S.-based Boeing Co. began developing the Arrow system after Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel during the 1991 Gulf War.

The test Friday was carried out at an air force base in central Israel. It was the 14th test of the system, and the first trial since a failed test-firing last year.

Israel considers Iran to be its biggest threat, and doesn't believe Tehran's claims that its nuclear program is peaceful. Israeli concerns were heightened recently after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad urged that Israel be "wiped off the map."

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he was confident all diplomatic efforts to defuse Iran's nuclear program would be exhausted before military action is taken - but that military capabilities exist.

Asked if any country was considering a strike against Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons, Sharon replied, "I am sure that before anyone goes to take such steps, all attempts will be made to pressure Iran to stop all this activity."

But the ability to carry out a military strike "of course exists," he said.

Although Israel is preparing for the possibility that Iran will acquire nuclear weapons, it won't lead the fight against the Islamic state's nuclear ambitions, Sharon said.

Meanwhile, the Russian daily Vedomosti reported Friday that Moscow and Tehran have signed an agreement providing for Russia to provide Tor M-1 air defense systems to Iran.

The newspaper cited an unidentified manager at a military-industrial enterprise as saying Russia would provide Iran with 29 Tor missiles that had originally been manufactured on orders from Greece.

The Rosoboronexport state arms export agency said it had no information on the reported deal.

The Interfax news agency said that Russian and Iranian officials signed contracts in November for more than US$1 billion (euro850 million). Citing an unnamed source in the Russian military-industrial complex, Interfax said up to 30 To-M1 air defense systems would be sent to Tehran in 2006-2008.

Interfax said that the Tor-M1 system could identify up to 48 targets and fire at two targets simultaneously at a height of 20 to 6,000 meters (60-20,000 feet).

Israel's Foreign Ministry hadn't heard of the deal reported in Vedomosti, but spokesman Mark Regev condemned the agreement.

"The regime in Iran is extreme, supports radical terrorist groups and has articulated only recently its opposition to peace and reconciliation in the Middle East," Regev said. "When a country hopes to strengthen the military potential of Iran, they are serving to strengthen the most negative elements in the region."

Copyright 2005 Associated Press.

[JuntaJoe]

EU to Address Iranian President's Remarks

December 15, 2005 2:23 PM EST
BERLIN - Germany's foreign minister warned Thursday that the international community is losing patience with Iran after its president denied the Holocaust as a "myth." Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also said the issue would be addressed at this week's European Union summit.

In Beijing, the Chinese government also criticized Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remarks, saying it was opposed to actions that could undermine world stability.

The German government has condemned Wednesday's remarks by Ahmadinejad and called on the United Nations and EU to follow suit. Berlin says the comments will also weigh on talks over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

The EU summit, beginning Thursday in Brussels, Belgium, will address Ahmadinejad's statements "at our urging," Steinmeier said in the German parliament.

The remarks showed "with how much irresponsibility and cynicism the Iranian government currently regards the situation of Israel and the Near East."

"I say again: the government in Tehran must understand that the patience of the international community is not endless," Steinmeier said.

Germany, along with France and Britain, has been leading diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving suspicions about Iran's nuclear program. Talks resume Dec. 21 on the issue with envoys from the three countries.

Ahmadinejad first provoked an international outcry in October when he called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." He then expressed doubt about the Nazi destruction of European Jewry during World War II but went further Wednesday - saying the Holocaust is a "myth" Europeans have used to create a Jewish state in the heart of the Islamic world.

Denying the Holocaust is a crime in Germany.

Also Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang pointedly rejected Ahmadinejad's comments.

"We are not in favor of any remarks detrimental to stability and peace," he said. "Israel is a sovereign state."

China maintains good relations with both Iran and Israel. It recently signed an agreement with Tehran aimed at giving it direct access to large supplies of Iranian oil.

Copyright 2005 Associated Press.

[JuntaJoe]

Russia scathing on Iran's nuclear diplomacy


Iran said on Monday it was still interested in a Russian compromise solution to its nuclear dispute with the West, but Russia's foreign minister said the Iranians were fouling up Moscow's diplomatic efforts.

"We are extremely disappointed with the way Iran is behaving in the course of these talks," Russia's RIA news agency quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying.

"Iran is absolutely no help to those who want to find peaceful ways to solve this problem."

Lavrov said bilateral Iran-Russia talks would take place in the near future at Tehran's request, but gave no details.

A senior Iranian official earlier insisted Tehran wanted a diplomatic way out of the nuclear standoff and was still considering the Russian proposal, apparently retracting remarks by the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman a day earlier.

Tehran has sent mixed signals on Russia's offer to enrich uranium for Iran on Russian soil to supply Iranian nuclear power reactors and ensure no fuel is diverted to bomb-making.

The U.N. Security Council, which can impose sanctions, is due to consider Iran's nuclear dossier this week after the Islamic Republic failed to persuade the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that its atomic work was purely peaceful.

"The Russian proposal should be reviewed with respect to the new developments," Hossein Entezami, spokesman for the Supreme National Security Council, told the state news agency IRNA.

"Tehran has repeatedly said that it welcomes any solution which could help to resolve Iran's nuclear issue."

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said on Sunday: "Now the situation has changed. The Russian proposal is not on the agenda."

OFFER STILL STANDS

Russia's Interfax news agency also reported that Tehran had made it clear that it was still considering the compromise and that, as far Moscow was concerned, the offer still stood.

So far the sticking point has been Iran's refusal to abandon at least some uranium enrichment on its own soil for "research."

The West fears that even small-scale enrichment would unlock the know-how Iran would need to make nuclear weapons. The Iranians have so far stood firm in their quest for such technology, saying they want it only to generate electricity.

U.S. officials and European diplomats have said they believe Iran is simply toying with the Russian plan to avoid any sanctions and gain time in which to accelerate enrichment work.

Iran argues that it is being unjustly singled out, compared with nuclear proliferators such as India, Pakistan and Israel.

"We will not abandon our right (to nuclear technology) because of the cruel and unfair demands of some countries," state television quoted President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying.

Ahmadinejad provoked international outrage last year when he called for Israel's destruction, deepening fears that an Iran armed with nuclear weapons would destabilize the Middle East.

The dispute could set Iran on a collision course with the Security Council, where Washington may seek sanctions against Tehran if it does not heed IAEA demands for full cooperation with agency probes and a freeze on all nuclear fuel activities.

However, a punitive crackdown remains some way off. The council is expected to start with a statement repeating IAEA resolutions to lend them weight. IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is likely to be asked to provide a fresh report on Iran to the council within 2-4 weeks of a statement, an IAEA diplomat said.

Washington has said all options are on the table to prevent Iran developing nuclear weapons.

NOT ON AGENDA

However, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said military action against Iran was not on the U.S. agenda in practice.

Speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, Straw said: "Action taken by the Security Council should be incremental...and it should also be reversible so that we can respond to Iranian actions and reactions.

"We should leave the door open for negotiations with Iran to resume at any stage, so they can come into compliance."

He continued: "Iran should be under no doubt that, if it continues to defy the wishes of the international community, the Security Council will respond."

Lavrov, in a separate newspaper interview, urged the United States and its European allies not to turn their backs on the IAEA as a tool to resolve the dispute, saying there was no agreed strategy for action in the Security Council.

Russia and China strongly oppose sanctions against Iran.

Lavrov was quoted by Vremya Novostei newspaper as calling for a meeting in Vienna involving ElBaradei, the EU trio of Britain, France and Germany, as well as Russia, China and the United States, to discuss the next move.

"EU3" diplomats in Vienna said they expected discussions to be pursued within the council rather than elsewhere in the immediate future. The IAEA diplomat said the agency had received no proposal or request for ElBaradei to join such talks.

(Additional reporting by Meg Clothier in Moscow, David Clarke in London and Mark Heinrich in Vienna)

Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited.

[JuntaJoe]

It has been confirmed that Iranian diplomats were present for North Korea's recent long range missile launch that pissed everyone off.

Yeah, like we all now believe that Iran wants to enrich uranium only for peaceful purposes. :roll:

[s_stabeler]

ok.......maybe NOW china and russia will agree to sanctions against iran. and I don't mean economic sanctions, either. given that iran keeps threatening to leavete npt, we can't riskthem getting a bomb. I say make them giver up enricment, or call an invasion. and call the iranian revolutionary guard in to help the invasion. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[JuntaJoe]

You must be drinking your lunch.

China needs Iran for their oil and Russia is selling Iran armaments.

Nor do they fear a small nuclear attack. It would allow the Russians to curb liberties some more and permit more totalitarian rule. As for the Chinese, I'm reminded of the Chinese general's comments when MacArthur threatened them with nukes in the 50's.

So you nuke us. So we have a few million less mouths to feed.

[s_stabeler]

and now iran's president has said isreal has pressed the button for it's own destruction. somehow, he seems to be implying that they have some serious weaopns. this isn't going to help them.........