Iran Nuclear Standoff

[cycloneye]

Iran has many tunnels to hide nuclear materials

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34721534/ns ... ork_times/

Last September, when Iran’s uranium enrichment plant buried inside a mountain near the holy city of Qum was revealed, the episode cast light on a wider pattern: Over the past decade, Iran has quietly hidden an increasingly large part of its atomic complex in networks of tunnels and bunkers across the country.

In doing so, American government and private experts say, Iran has achieved a double purpose. Not only has it shielded its infrastructure from military attack in warrens of dense rock, but it has further obscured the scale and nature of its notoriously opaque nuclear effort. The discovery of the Qum plant only heightened fears about other undeclared sites.

[cycloneye]

U.S. increases defense shield in Persian Gulf



http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02 ... ante-iran/

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran rose Monday after the Obama Administration quietly increased the capability of land and sea-based missile defenses in several Gulf nations to protect American allies against a potential Iranian strike.

Administration officials said over the weekend that the U.S. was speeding up arms sales to a number of Gulf Arab states and that it had also deployed warships capable of knocking down hostile missiles in flight to the region.

The moves, which include the sales of anti-missile systems to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, are designed to deter Iran from launching attacks against its Sunni Muslim neighbors and to send a message to Israel that a preemptive strike against Iran is unnecessary.

[cycloneye]

Iran ready to follow U.N enriching uranimun deal

Ummm,I dont trust them at all.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35205084/ns ... tn_africa/

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran said on Tuesday that it was ready to send its uranium abroad for further enrichment as requested by the U.N.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced the decision in an interview with state Iranian television.

He said Iran will have "no problem" giving the West its low-enriched uranium and taking it back several months later when it is enriched by 20 percent.

[vbhoutex]

I call BS on that!!

[cycloneye]

Iran boosts enrichment of uranium



I knew it was not sincere what he said about sending uranium out of the country.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,585027,00.html

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered his country's atomic agency on Sunday to begin the production of higher enriched uranium, in a move that's likely to deepen international skepticism about the country's real intentions on the crucial issue of enriched uranium.

[Cryomaniac]

Possibly interesting development:

This article is from last Saturday:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 82,00.html

Two Israeli missile boats reportedly passed through the Suez Canal Thursday morning, according to Arab media reports over the weekend.

Egyptian authorities reportedly adopted strict security measures to ensure the ships' safety. According to the reports, the two Navy ships traveled through the canal en route to the Red Sea.

There has been nothing mentioned since, and the article goes on to say that it would take about 4 days to get the Persian Gulf, which is of course today. Add all that to this:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that Iran is set to deliver a "punch" that will stun world powers during this week's 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

"The Iranian nation, with its unity and God's grace, will punch the arrogance (Western powers) on the 22nd of Bahman (February 11) in a way that will leave them stunned," Khamenei, who is also Iran's commander-in-chief, told a gathering of air force personnel.

And you have an intriguing situation. What exactly are the Israeli ships doing in the Persian Gulf? One obvious thing would be giving support for an air attack on Iran, either as AA cover, Radar or whatever.

If Israel take Khamenei's statements as a direct threat (which they could) then I can see an attack before February 11, that leaves either tonight or tomorrow in that Scenario. I'm not saying it will happen, but it's certainly ominous.

And last but not least, If Israel does attack Iran, the mods are going to have a tough time keeping this from getting political.

[vbhoutex]

Possibly interesting development:

This article is from last Saturday:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 82,00.html

Two Israeli missile boats reportedly passed through the Suez Canal Thursday morning, according to Arab media reports over the weekend.

Egyptian authorities reportedly adopted strict security measures to ensure the ships' safety. According to the reports, the two Navy ships traveled through the canal en route to the Red Sea.

There has been nothing mentioned since, and the article goes on to say that it would take about 4 days to get the Persian Gulf, which is of course today. Add all that to this:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that Iran is set to deliver a "punch" that will stun world powers during this week's 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

"The Iranian nation, with its unity and God's grace, will punch the arrogance (Western powers) on the 22nd of Bahman (February 11) in a way that will leave them stunned," Khamenei, who is also Iran's commander-in-chief, told a gathering of air force personnel.

And you have an intriguing situation. What exactly are the Israeli ships doing in the Persian Gulf? One obvious thing would be giving support for an air attack on Iran, either as AA cover, Radar or whatever.

If Israel take Khamenei's statements as a direct threat (which they could) then I can see an attack before February 11, that leaves either tonight or tomorrow in that Scenario. I'm not saying it will happen, but it's certainly ominous.

And last but not least, If Israel does attack Iran, the mods are going to have a tough time keeping this from getting political.

And if Iran is stupid enough to actually do something they deserve everything they will get.

[Cryomaniac]

And if Iran is stupid enough to actually do something they deserve everything they will get.

I'm not arguing that.

[cycloneye]

Israel favors crippling sanctions against Iran

No bombs falling from Israelie planes yet

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE6181A8.htm

JERUSALEM, (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for immediate and crippling sanctions against Iran on Tuesday, on the day it began making higher-grade nuclear fuel.

"Iran is rushing forward to produce nuclear weapons...I believe that what is required right now is tough action by the international community," Netanyahu told European diplomats. "This means crippling sanctions and these sanctions must be applied right now." (Reporting by Douglas Hamilton, Writing by Jeffrey Heller, Editing by Ori Lewis) (For blogs and links on Israeli politics and other Israeli and Palestinian news, go to http://blogs.reuters.com/axismundi)

[brunota2003]

It will be the 11th of February, 2010 in 4 hours and 25 minutes in Iraq.

And I don't think the gun boats went to the Gulf to cover an airstrike, but probably more as a deterrence/if something were to pop off they are already out there.

[cycloneye]

U.S. imposes sanctions on Iran revolutionary guard

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02 ... ary-guard/

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is imposing new sanctions on several affiliates of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, targeting one person and four companies for penalties over their alleged involvement in producing and spreading weapons of mass destruction.

The Treasury Department announced Wednesday that it would freeze the assets in U.S. jurisdictions of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Rostam Qasemi and four subsidiaries of a construction firm that he commands and was hit with U.S. sanctions in 2007. The sanctions expand existing U.S. unilateral penalties against elements of the Guard Corps, which Western intelligence believes is spearheading Iran's nuclear and missile programs

[Cryomaniac]

Israel favors crippling sanctions against Iran

No bombs falling from Israelie planes yet

I wouldn't count on that. My interpretation of what he said is "We want sanctions now or we'll do something about it".

[cycloneye]

Iran says is now a nuclear state



http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,585461,00.html

TEHRAN, Iran — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed Thursday that Iran has produced its first batch of uranium enriched to a higher level just two days after it said it began the process, showcasing new advances in its controversial nuclear program.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated to hundreds of thousands of cheering Iranians on the anniversary of the 1979 foundation of the Islamic republic that the country was now a "nuclear state," though he insisted that Iran had no intention of building nuclear weapons.

[brunota2003]

You know, even though they have not enriched far enough for "the bomb", what about dirty bombs?

[cycloneye]

Iran unvails cruise missile production

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35749402/ns ... tn_africa/

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran said Sunday it has launched a new production line of highly accurate, short range cruise missiles, which would add a new element to the country's already imposing arsenal.

Gen. Ahmad Vahidi told Iranian state TV that the cruise missile, called Nasr 1, would be capable of destroying targets up to 3,000 tons in size.

The minister said the missile can be launched from the surface but would eventually be modified to be fired from helicopters and submarines.

[Derek Ortt]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03 ... latestnews

we are having a foreign policy crisis with Israel and not Iran. Will not comment much as it would most certainly be political. However, this leads me to conclude we will do NOTHING against Iran, even if it does attack Israel. Israel may not even have our support

[cycloneye]

After this diplomatic flap.Israel may go alone to bomb the plants.

[Derek Ortt]

not so sure, Luis

I could see us forcing them to fight their way through Iraqi airspace. That may mean they have to use Saudi airspace... which makes for a far longer flight

[HURAKAN]

Iranian scientist 'defects to US'

An Iranian nuclear scientist who has been missing since June has defected to the US, according to a US media report.

ABC News said Shahram Amiri had been resettled in the US and was helping the CIA in its efforts to block Iran's nuclear programme.

Mr Amiri disappeared in Saudi Arabia while on a Muslim pilgrimage.

Iran accused the US of abducting him but Washington denied any knowledge of the scientist. The CIA has declined to comment on the latest report.

Mr Amiri worked as a researcher at Tehran's Malek Ashtar University, according to Iran's state-run Press TV channel.

However, some reports said he had also been employed by Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, and had wanted to seek asylum abroad.

CIA operation?

The US and its Western allies suspect Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons - a claim denied by Tehran.

According to ABC, the scientist has been extensively debriefed, and has helped to confirm US intelligence assessments about the Iranian nuclear programme.

His defection was apparently the result of a wider operation, under which the US has been approaching Iranian scientists, sometimes through relatives living in America, to try to persuade them to defect.

By making this defection public, it appears the Americans are putting more psychological pressure on the Iranian authorities, says the BBC's Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne, who is in London.

Iran's nuclear programme is the subject of extensive intelligence work in the West with the aims of gathering information on it, preventing Iran buying equipment for it and, reportedly, sabotaging the programme by selling Iran defective parts on the black market, our correspondent says.

Quite how important Mr Amiri is, or what information he can provide, has not emerged, our correspondent adds.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/m ... 596542.stm

[cycloneye]

Russia says Iran reactor will be ready by next August

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN141 ... StocksNews

BUENOS AIRES, April 14 (Reuters) - A reactor being built by Russia at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant is scheduled to open in August, the head of Russia's state nuclear corporation said on Wednesday.