‘Iran Drawing a Line in the Sand’

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‘Iran Drawing a Line in the Sand’
Experts say Iran is ready to take standoff with U.S. to the brink

WASHINGTON — With a dubious nuclear technology program, the capture of British sailors last week and reports of meddling in fledgling Iraqi affairs, Iran — a member of the now-notorious "axis of evil" — appears to be testing the waters to see how far it can push the West.

Iran also demonstrated its disregard for international relations last week when it captured eight British sailors who said they had mistakenly crossed into the Iranian side of a disputed Shatt al-Arab waterway between Iran and Iraq. The prisoners, who were released after a week in captivity, were paraded about on international television in what some say was a message by hardline leaders that the country will not be trifled with.

"It is the first shot across the bow," said Nile Gardiner, international affairs analyst with the Heritage Foundation.

"This is really a wake-up call for Downing Street and the Foreign Office," Gardiner said, referring to the British government. Iran "senses weakness in Iraq and a perceived weakness on behalf of Britain and America and they are testing and probing the strength of the West in regard to Iraq."

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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,124072,00.html