Iran seeks to allay Gulf Arab nuclear fears

by Staff Writers Muscat (AFP) March 13, 2014

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Shiite Iran on Thursday sought to allay concerns among mainly Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab monarchies mistrustful of Tehran over its nuclear ambitions.
"Our message to the other countries of the Persian Gulf is a message of friendship, fraternity and cooperation," Zarif said in the Omani capital Muscat, where he is accompanying President Hassan Rouhani on a landmark visit.
The sultanate maintains strong links with Tehran, and has played an important intermediary role between Western countries and the Islamic republic.
Gulf Arab countries have expressed concern about the reliability of Iran's sole nuclear power plant at Bushehr and the risk of radioactive leaks in case of a major earthquake, as well as a possible military dimension to Iran's nuclear drive.
Iran insists that its atomic ambitions are peaceful, despite fears in Israel and the West that these mask a covert drive to acquire the bomb.
"Iran is ready for strong and fraternal relations with all the states of the region," said Zarif, who has embarked on a charm offensive towards the Gulf since Rouhani became Iran's president in August.

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Iran's Rouhani extends hand to Gulf monarchies

by Staff Writers Muscat (AFP) March 13, 2014

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani sought Thursday to mend fences between his mainly-Shiite country and Sunni-dominated Gulf monarchies distrustful of Iran's nuclear ambitions and its support of the Syrian regime.
Rouhani, winding up a two-day visit to Oman, said the Islamic republic offered "a hand of fraternity to all the countries of the region."
"Relations with one country should not grow at the expense of another. We want to see the countries of the region live in peace, understanding and friendship," Rouhani told a business gathering in Muscat.
The sultanate maintains strong links with Iran and has played an important role as mediator between Western countries and Tehran.
But other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which besides Oman also comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have cool relations with Tehran.
Its Arab neighbours have expressed concern about the reliability of Iran's sole nuclear power plant at Bushehr in the southern Gulf and the risk of radioactive leaks should it be hit by a major earthquake.
Like world powers, they also fear a possible military dimension to Iran's nuclear drive, despite repeated assertions by Tehran that its atomic ambitions are peaceful.
Ties between Gulf countries and Iran have also been strained by Tehran's backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime in its battle against rebels supported by the Arab monarchies.
"Cooperation and rapprochement would benefit the whole region," said Rouhani, adding that his country is "open to investors from the region, especially Omanis."
Oman and Iran are seeking to expand trade, which reached $1 billion last year, and bilateral investments which they expect will top $10 billion by the end of this year, Iranian Ambassador Ali Akbar Sibeveih said Monday.

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Iran agrees to explain nuclear detonators to UN

by Staff Writers
Tehran (AFP) Feb 09, 2014

UN nuclear experts tackle Iran on arms allegations Tehran (AFP) Feb 08, 2014 - Iran said talks Saturday with the UN atomic watchdog over allegations of Tehran's past weapons work and additional safeguards were constructive and have been extended for another day.The five-hour-long meeting came as the Islamic republic's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, demanded tolerance from critics of President Hassan Rouhani ahead of fresh talks with world powers.Negotiations between Iran and the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are building on a framework deal agreed in November that requires Tehran to take six practical steps by Tuesday.Chief inspector Tero Varjoranta and four experts are assessing the implementation of those measures, Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said. The official IRNA news agency quoted Kamalvandi as saying that the talks were "good, constructive and are progressing". He said both side had agreed to continue the talks on Sunday, which are expected to include long-standing allegations of "possible military dimensions" to Iran's past nuclear activities. IAEA director general Yukiya Amano told AFP last month that time was now ripe to ask the "more difficult" questions. How long this takes "very much depends on Iran. It can be quick or it can be long. It really depends on their cooperation," Amano said. Another issue to be discussed is access to the Parchin military facility, suspected of having been used for research pertaining to weapons development prior to 2003, and possibly since, according to the IAEA. The November deal, struck after two years of on-off talks, was separate from a landmark agreement reached with world powers the same month that has placed temporary curbs on Iran's nuclear activities. Implementation of the IAEA deal began in December, when inspectors visited Arak, where the small unfinished heavy water reactor has been hit by delays. The site is of international concern because Iran could theoretically extract weapons-grade plutonium from spent fuel if it also builds a reprocessing facility. Iran says it will continue work there but its atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi said this week the reactor could be modified to produce less plutonium to "allay the worries." The second step was to visit the Gachin uranium mine, which took place in late January. Also required were information on future research reactors, identifying sites of new nuclear power plants, and clarification on Iranian statements regarding additional enrichment facilities and laser enrichment technology. All six measures have been implemented.

Iran agreed Sunday to clarify to the UN atomic agency its need for detonators used in nuclear devices, as part of a probe into allegations of its past weapons work.
The move is part of seven new steps agreed between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency to increase transparency over Tehran's controversial nuclear drive.
And it appears to be the first time in years Iran has agreed to tackle IAEA suspicions that its nuclear work prior to 2003 had "possible military dimensions".
The development comes with Iran set to resume nuclear talks with world powers later this month, after an initial accord in November imposed curbs on its uranium enrichment to allay concerns that it seeks to acquire atomic weapons.
Capping two-days of talks in Tehran with Iranian officials, the IAEA said Iran agreed to provide "information and explanations for the agency to assess Iran's stated need or application for the development of Exploding Bridge Wire (EBW) detonators".
According to the IAEA, Iran told the agency in 2008 that it had developed EBWs for "civilian and conventional military applications" but has yet to explain its "need or application for such detonators".
Such fast, high-precision detonators could be used in some civilian applications but are mostly known for triggering a nuclear chain reaction. The IAEA believes they form "an integral part of a programme to develop an implosion type nuclear device."
Mark Hibbs, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the detonators are "fine wires... designed to perform with exceeding precision and reliability. Without that dependability, the detonations would fail."
Citing an unnamed Iranian nuclear official, the ISNA news agency said Tehran would "provide information beyond what it had already provided to the agency" on the EBWs.
It did not elaborate.
Earlier, Iran's envoy to the Vienna-based IAEA, Reza Najafi, said "seven more practical steps" had been agreed between the two sides in a deal that would be implemented by May 15.
Six other steps were agreed under a framework deal struck on November 11.
In the latest agreement, the IAEA will also have "managed access" to the Saghand uranium mine and the Ardakan yellowcake facility where an impure form of uranium oxide is prepared to be fed into centrifuges for enrichment.
Officially unveiled in April 2013, the plant in Ardakan receives raw material from Saghand, some 120 kilometres (75 miles) away. It can reportedly produce up to 60 tonnes of yellowcake annually.
Arak reactor in spotlight
Iran also agreed to submit updated design information and finalise a safeguards mechanism for the so-called heavy water reactor under construction in Arak.


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The Iran Nuclear Deal...Reactions from the Right and The Left

 

Iran Sanctions Easing Could Begin As Soon As December

General view prior to the start of the two days of closed-door nuclear talks on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 at the United Nations offices in Geneva, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Fabrice Coffrini, pool))

By BRIAN MURPHY and LORI HINNANT 11/25/13 06:05 AM ET EST

PARIS (AP) — Sanctions against Iran could be eased as soon as December, France's foreign minister said Monday, after a potentially history-shaping deal that gives Tehran six months to increase access to its nuclear sites in exchange for keeping the central elements of its uranium program.
The deal, announced Sunday, envisages lifting some of the sanctions that have been crippling the country's economy, and put in place over fears that Tehran is using its nuclear program to build atomic arms. Iran denies it wants such weapons.
"A Europe-wide decision is necessary" to ease EU sanctions on Iran, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told Europe 1 radio. "That's expected in several weeks, for a partial lifting that is targeted, reversible."
The United States and U.N. have separate sanctions.
The agreement reached on Sunday will allow Iran to keep the central elements of its uranium program while stopping its enrichment at a level lower than what is needed for nuclear arms. In addition to a six-month window for Iran to allow more U.N. access to nuclear sites, sanctions will be eased — notably in the oil, automotive and aviation industries — though not ended.

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POLITICO 

Harry Reid: Iran nuclear deal an ‘important first step’

By BURGESS EVERETT | 11/25/13 12:28 PM EST

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that while the nuclear agreement with Iran is an “important first step,” he is keeping a tougher sanctions bill on the table.
The Nevada Democrat said Monday that his chamber will examine whether stronger economic penalties on Iran are needed when the Senate returns in December. That process could include committee hearings led by Senate Banking Chairman Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) and Foreign Relations Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). Johnson’s committee would draft a sanctions bill if Reid decides to proceed with one.

“They will do what they’re supposed to do. They will study this, they will hold hearings if necessary and if we need more work on this, we need to do stronger sanctions, I’m sure we will do that,” Reid said on the “Diane Rehm Show.” “We’ll move forward appropriately.”

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Pols respond to Iran nuclear deal

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This Is How The Left And Right Reacted To The Breakthrough Iran Nuclear Deal

Paul Szoldra and Brett LoGiurato Nov. 24, 2013, 12:38 AM

REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

A major breakthrough deal was reached between Iran and six world powers on Saturday, which President Barack Obama said would help "prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon."Soon after the deal was announced — an interim agreement easing some sanctions in exchange for Iran's suspension of high-grade uranium enrichment — many members of Congress and other political leaders shared their views on social media.
Some Republicans were critical of the program, most notably Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who tweeted, "Unless the agreement requires dismantling of the Iranian centrifuges, we really haven't gained anything."
"Deal appears to give Iran billions in exchange for cosmetic concessions that don't fully freeze or significantly roll back nuclear program," tweeted Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).
And Republican Sen. John Cornyn took some flak for dismissing the breakthrough deal as a political ploy when he tweeted, "Amazing what [White House] will do to distract attention from [Obamacare]."

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WW3 UPDATE - FROM SYRIA TO IRAN (CrossTalk)

TruthTube451 (AKA MrGlasgowTruther)  



 

Published on Sep 17, 2013

What is at stake for Tehran as Washington deals with Syria? Is Obama genuinely interested in diplomacy? And could the dreadful conflict in Syria be used as a means to take on Iran? CrossTalking with Mohammad Marandi and Faheem Younus.

Join my facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Truthtube451


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Iran-Syria-Lebanon alliance greater danger to Israel than al-Qaeda: Envoy

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Stated Michael Oren says the alliance of Iran, Syria and Lebanon poses the greatest danger to Tel Aviv, adding that Israel prefers al-Qaeda-affiliated operatives to Iranian-backed groups.

"The initial message about the Syria issue was that we always wanted [President] Bashar Assad to go, we always preferred the bad guys who weren't backed by Iran to the bad guys who were backed by Iran," the Israeli daily Jerusalem Post quoted Oren as saying.
Oren said Israel was willing to see the overthrow of Assad government before the outbreak of its crisis in March 2011.
He added that the removal of Assad from power would “weaken the alliance” between Iran and the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah.

"The greatest danger to Israel is by the strategic arc that extends from Tehran, to Damascus to Beirut. And we saw the Assad regime as the keystone in that arc,” Oren said.

This is the reason that Israel has wanted Assad to go, either before or after the outbreak of the unrest in Syria, Oren said.
Israel’s hostility toward Lebanon has increased after Hezbollah defeated Tel Aviv in two wars in 2000 and 2006.
Tel Aviv launched two wars on Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. About 1,200 Lebanese, most of them civilians, were killed in the 33-Day War of 2006.
On both occasions, however, Hezbollah fighters defeated the Israeli forces and Tel Aviv was forced to retreat without achieving any of its objectives.
SF/KA/SS


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Obama: Syria Deal Could Influence Iran Nuclear Talks

In this image from video pre-taped at the White House in Washington Friday, September 13, 2013, for Sunday morning's ABC program "This Week" President Barack Obama answers questions about pressing national and international issues.

VOA News

September 15, 2013

U.S. President Barack Obama says he and new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have exchanged letters about the situation in Syria, and that diplomacy backed by military threat is a model for negotiating with Tehran over its nuclear ambitions.
In a U.S. television interview broadcast Sunday, Obama said Iran should avoid thinking the United States would not launch a military strike in response to Tehran's nuclear program just because it has not attacked Syria.
He said Iranian leaders understand the U.S. concern about a potential nuclear-armed Iran "is a far larger issue" for the United States than Syria's chemical weapons.
Obama told ABC News "the threat against ... Israel that a nuclear Iran poses is much closer to our core interests," adding that "a nuclear arms race in the region" would be "profoundly destabilizing."
Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking Sunday in Jerusalem, said the recent U.S.-Russian agreement on Syria's chemical weapons also serves as a "marker" for the international community as it deals with Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program.
"The threat of force is real and the Assad regime and all those taking part need to understand that President Obama and the United States are committed to achieve this goal. We cannot have hollow words in the conduct of international affairs because that affects all other issues, whether Iran or North Korea or any other," said Kerry.



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