Front-page Iran

Iran Warns America with "harm and pain"

"The United States has the power to cause harm and pain. But the United States is also susceptible to harm and pain. So if that is the path that the U.S. wishes to choose, let the ball roll," said Ali Asghar Soltanieh, a senior Iranian delegate to the IAEA. This was due to the threat of possible action against Iran by the UN. Also the end of Wednesdays meeting of the UN, the path for Security Council action. Also the IAEA would send it's report on Iran by Thursday, said Ebaradei. John Bolton, America's ambassador to the United Nations, said on a phone call,"Their [Iran's] threats show why leaving a country like that with a nuclear weapon is so dangerous," in reference to Iran's recent comments.
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Elbaradei's Words of Wisdom

"What we need now at this stage is a cool-headed approach, to lower the rhetoric. The Middle East is a very volatile area," said Elbaradei as the Wednesday meeting ended. He regretted that Russia and the EU diplomacy failed, on the Russian compromise. He also said that quick sanctions were not the way to go, as they would only harden Iran and strengthen it's leaders.
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The Sanctions Wont Work

"I don't think sanctions as a means to solve a crisis have ever achieved a goal in the recent history," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "We are convinced that there is no military solution to this crisis." "I have been answering these questions regarding Iraq and I don't believe we should engage in something which might become self-fulfilling prophesy," said the minister when asked whether the situation reminded him of the council's consideration of whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction before the U.S.-led 2003 invasion.
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UN action next week

"We believe that next Monday or Tuesday the U.N. Security Council will begin very active debate," said Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns. Another undersecretary of State,Robert Joseph, wrote that he believed that Iran would feel less threatened to use force, with either chemical, biological and nuclear arms, if it possessed a nuclear arm.
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If there are more stories later on today I'll post them also.

Consequences

Today Condoleezza Rice expressed America's hopes that the standoff would be cooled down by the security council, while Cheney warned of meaningful consequences if the Council did not. "The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course the international community is prepared to impose meaningful consequences," said Cheney to AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee.) It also turns out that Russia did not put up a proposal to allow Iran to conduct small research, as reported yesterday. "There is no compromise proposal and there could not be any compromise proposal," said Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia.
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America Against Proposed Pipe Line

"As we stated before, the U.S. government does not support the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline," White House National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said. This was due in part of "international participation in energy projects with Iran." The project would cost 7 billion and run through Iran, India and Pakistan.
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It's all a Bluff

Brigadier General Ali-Reza Afshar, a veteran Revolutionary Guards commander and director of propaganda and cultural affairs in the high command of the Armed Forces, said that America is waging a psychological war with Iran.
“The bulk of America’s threatening propaganda against Iran is just political bluff.” The General said that there are 4 parts psychologicalcal war; peace, threats, crisis and war. “Now the enemy is trying to use other tools against us, including ethnic and religious conflicts and partisan strife, but we mrecognizenise these and be ready to confront them.”
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Iranian IED's

A shipment of bombs has been intercepted by American soldiers on the Iraq-Iran border. The bombs were factory made and had engravings all from the same factory. IED's are the main killer of American troops in Iraq and have proven to become more lethal over the last months. It has been said before that Iran was supplying bombs to insurgents over the border and this will come surely as a hard hit against Iran.
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Russia wont give up

Once again, Russia threw in a last minute proposal to allow Iran to create small amounts of nuclear fuel. Condoleezza Rice quickly announced that America cannot accept that proposal. The game plan now is to get a resolution passed within a week, the Russian proposal will only stall that process. The proposal would stop activity at Natanz but allow for some small scale research to be done never the less.
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Now Turkey?

It now seems Turkey finds a need to posses nuclear power. By 2012, Turkey plans on building 5 nuclear plants. The first at Sinop, by the Black Sea. It has decided to become nuclear to keep with the times. Growing weary over Iran's nuclear ambitions, it doesn't want to be left alone. With a practically equal economy and population Iran and Turkey can be seen as equals and Turkey wants to keep it that way. "Iran with nuclear production will be the dominant power," said Ozdem Sanberk, a former ambassador to Washington who heads the Turkish Economic and Social Studies research group in Istanbul. "There will be an asymmetrical relationship."
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Iran's Gonna be a Killing Field

Gholamali Rashid, deputy head of the armed forces, said the US did not understand how to operate in the Gulf region. "Iran’s armed forces, through their experience of war ...will turn this land into a killing field for any aggressor," the official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying. — Reuters
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Project 111

According to an intelligence report given to Reuters by a non-U.S. diplomat, a covert Iranian program run by people closely linked to Iran's military includes plans to arm its Shahab-3 missiles, which experts believe have a maximum range of around 2,000 km (1,240 miles), with nuclear warheads. The report, which could not be independently confirmed, surfaced as the United States and its allies seek to highlight the potential security dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran. The report said it was code-named Project 111 and that the "aim is arming Shahab-3 missiles with nuclear warheads".
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And also Sorry for the late update, the last update was taken straight word for word from Reuters, and googlfinallyly listed me on there search engine.

Turkey vs. Iran

The International Strategic Research Organization released a report today titled Iranian nuclear crisis. It dealt with a possibility of an American lead attack on Iran. It was sent to all of the highest officials in Turkey including the president, prime minister and chief of the General Staff, as well as some ministers. The report stated that Turkey must be a "active mediator" to resolve the crisis. The report also stated a number of things that can happen as a result of an American attack, such as an Arab Israeli war, oil prices hitting over 100$, attacks in American military bases by Shiites and many more awful situations.
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Iran Threatens West

Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, said, "If the file is referred to the Security Council, then we will begin [industrial-scale] enrichment. We will under no circumstances suspend [nuclear] Research and Development and we will continue this activity. We are patient but are also able to recognize when they are making excuses and when they have genuine questions. We will answer the questions but we will not allow excuses so that each day that they inspect a new military base in Iran." Thus another act of defiance to the West.
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30 day Ultimatum

The U.S. want to place a 30 day ultimatum on Iran, that will include restrictions for Iranian politicians, economic sanctions and an oil embargo. It's to be discussed before the Security Council later this week.
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Fridays Talks

Today Iran and the EU3 failed to reach a agreement over the crisis. One of Iran's last chances gone. The talks took 2 hours and consisted of the top foreign ministers and diplomats from Germany, Britain, France and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. The end thought was that Iran had no new ideas on how to lessen fears of it's program. After the talks Ali Larijani, Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council, started, more talks with IAEA Chief Muhamed ElBaradei.
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American Iran Watchers

America is opening a new office in the state department for Iranian affairs. America is also planning on boosting pro-democracy initiatives in Iran to 85 million$ from only 10 million$. Though that deal has to go through congress. Also Condoleeza Rice approved a plan authorizing 12 to 15 new positions to increase her department’s capabilities to focus on Iranian issues.
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Oil Rises Again

Oil has risen again to $63.47 a barrel for light sweet crude.
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Another Bomb

Another bombing took place in Ahvaz, the location of the 2 hangings yesterday. No one was hurt and only the windows in the area were shattered.
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The talks are over, whats next?

The Last Meetings

The EU3 and Iran will hold an unscheduled meeting, for a last ditch deal before Iran’s file is sent to the UN Security Council on March 6th. Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, Philippe Douste-Blazy of France and Javier Solana, EU foreign policy representative, will meet Ali Larijani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, in Vienna. Uk’s foreign secretary, Jack Straw, may not be attending the meeting due to illness. A breakthrough is not expected to happen at this meeting, just like the rest of them. This is Iran’s last chance to work out a deal with the world to solve it’s nuclear issue before it’s sent before the security council.
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Oil prices raise

Oil prices raised again due to tension over Iran’s program and more possible attacks on Nigeria’s oil industry. U.S. light crude oil was at $63.65 a barrel while European crude oil was at $64.46.
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Ahmadinejad says IAEA is politically motivated

"Regrettably most international organizations have turned into political organizations and the influence of great powers prevents them from taking fair and legally sound decisions," said the president during his visit to Malaysia.
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2 Hanged in Public for Oil Bombings

Ali Affrawi and Mehdi Navasseri, 2 Arab separatists were found guilty of the bombings Ahvaz. Those bombs killed 6 people and injured a 100 others in late October last year. They were hanged off the city center bridge and left there for 40 minutes while crowds chanted "Death to America! Death to Israel! Death to England!".
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Ahmadinejad says Islam will dominate world in near future

“The near future will be in the hands of Islam,” said the president on his visit in Malaysia. He cited the victory of Hamas in Palestine. “History has shown that when Muslims become powerful, they do not use their power to the detriment of others, but use it in the service of peace and tranquility”, Ahmadinejad said.
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It's a Peaceful Program
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on today that the Nuclear program is a peaceful one and that even yet it will not give in to international demands. "We are ready for any compromise. But if the compromise could not take place between Iran and Russia, or Iran and European countries, we, after some time, will start commercial-scale enrichment."
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Ahmadinejad Gives Advice to Iran's Soccer Team
It was a surprise visit for the players. His appearance at the Azadi, in the Iranian team jersey and tracksuit, caught the attention of local photographers and fans alike. "You have to
study your opponents in the World Cup very carefully, but do not be afraid of them, as with God's help and people's prayers you will be able to succeed," said the president in his words of advise. "You are individually very good, what you need to improve is the group work and for that you first must become close friends and then a strong and harmonious unit." Iran will be playing against Mexico, Portugal and Angola in group D at the World Cup in Germany this year.
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Bush, "Iran must not have a nuclear weapon."
On Bush's surprise visit to Afghanistan he said during a news conference, "Iran must not have a nuclear weapon. The most destabilizing thing that can happen in this region and in the world is for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. And so the world is speaking with one voice to the Iranians that it's OK for you to have a civilian nuclear power operation, but you shall not have the means, the knowledge to develop a nuclear weapon."
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Iran's former president lashes out for Iran's denial of the Holocaust.
Mohammad Khatami, the former president of Iran, has said today that the holocaust is a historical realty. "We should speak out if even a single Jew is killed. Don't forget that one of the crimes of Hitler, Nazism and German national socialism was the massacre of innocent people, among them many Jews," he is quoted as saying. He served as president of Iran from 1997 to 2005. Known as a mild mannered president he tried to initiate a "dialogue among civilizations", referring to the Western World.
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The Talks are Over.
The talks between Russia and Iran are over without any major accomplishments. The meeting took around 4 hours. A general agreement was in place but the whole proposal still needs work. In the end Iran was still insisting that the Uranium to be enriched on it's own soil. “The details of the Russian proposal on creating a joint enrichment venture on Russia’s territory were discussed, however, it has not yet been possible to achieve a breakthrough,” said a Russian Security Council official.
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