Iran Unveils Domestically-built Unmanned Bomber
Iran is not the Problem (FULL LENGTH FILM)
June 28, 2010 by POPEYE
Filed under Featured Stories, Iran
IRAN (is not the problem) is a feature length film responding to the failure of the American mass media to provide the public with relevant and accurate information about the standoff between the US and Iran, as happened before with the lead up to the invasion of Iraq.
US, Israel Warships in Suez May Be Prelude to Faceoff with Iran
June 21, 2010 by POPEYE
Filed under Featured Stories, Iran
(Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu) Egypt allowed at least one Israeli and 11 American warships to pass through the Suez Canal as an Iranian flotilla approaches Gaza. Egypt closed the canal to protect the ships with thousands of soldiers, according to the British-based Arabic language newspaper Al Quds al-Arabi.
One day prior to the report on Saturday, Voice of Israel government radio reported that the Egyptian government denied an Israeli request not to allow the Iranian flotilla to use the Suez Canal to reach Gaza, in violation of the Israeli sea embargo on the Hamas-controlled area.
International agreements require Egypt to keep the Suez open even for warships, but the armada, led by the USS Truman with 5,000 sailors and marines, was the largest in years. Egypt closed the canal to fishing and other boats as the armada moved through the strategic passageway that connects the Red and Mediterranean Seas.
Despite Egypt’s reported refusal to block the canal to Iranian boats, the clearance for the American-Israeli fleet may be a warning to Iran it may face military opposition if the Iranian Red Crescent ship continues on course to Gaza.
The warships may exercise the right to inspect the Iranian boat for the illegal transport or weapons. Newsweek reported that Egyptian authorities could stop the ship for weeks, using technicalities such as requiring that any official documents be translated from Farsi into Arabic.
The magazine’s website also reported that the Iranian navy is the weakest part of its armed forces. Tehran has already backed down from announced intentions to escort the Iranian ships with “volunteer marines” from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
The Iranian news site Hamsayeh.net reported, “The move might be in connection to U.S. self-inflicted embargo against Iran aimed at inspecting Iran bound ships for suspected goods related to the country’s nuclear program.”
Another battle on the high seas may involve one, and possibly two, Lebanese vessels that are aimed at challenging Israel’s sovereignty over the Gaza coastal waters. Hizbullah, gearing up for a reaction to a possible clash between the Israeli Navy (pictured) and the Lebanese boats, has delayed rocket units near Lebanese ports, according to unofficial military sources.
Israel has warned U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that Israel will use force, if necessary, to stop the boats, one of which is carrying approximately 70 women passengers and crew organized by Hizbullah support Samar al-Hajj. Her husband is one of several jailed suspects involved in the assassination for former Lebanese anti-Syrian Prime Rafik Hariri.
Hizbullah has denied it is connected with the Lebanese flotilla, but it has been reported that Al Hajj met with Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah last month. (IsraelNationalNews.com)
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138164
Iran offers to help contain US oil spill
(PRESS TV) The National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) has offered to assist the US in efforts to prevent an ecological disaster caused by the spreading oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Following an explosion on a BP-operated oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico last month, at least 210,000 gallons (5,000 barrels) of crude oil are thought to be spilling into the water every day.
NIDC managing director Heidar Bahmani announced the firm’s readiness to use its decades-long expertise to fight the oil slick, the company’s public relations office told Press TV.
“Our oil industry experts in the field of drilling can contain the rig leakage in the Gulf of Mexico and prevent an ecological disaster in that part of the world,” Bahmani said.
Overlooking the new US drive for slapping more UN sanctions on Iran over its civilian nuclear program, the company said that there is an urgent need for action to protect the nearby coasts from the advancing oil spill.
The governors of Alabama, Louisiana and Florida have reportedly called a state of emergency for fear of the oil slick’s environmental and economic damages.
The disaster has also prompted the White House to ban oil drillings in new areas of the US coast until the British company explains the cause of the explosion that killed 11 employees and resulted in the oil spill.
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=125303§ionid=3510203
Russia sells anti-air missiles to Iran
(PRESS TV)
The Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense system
The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister says his country has every intention of delivering the advanced S-300 air defense missile systems to the Islamic Republic.
Israeli daily Haaretz reported on Tuesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited Russia on Tuesday, has been assured that the sale of the S-300 anti-aircraft system to Iran “will be held off” by the Kremlin.
However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov commented on the report, saying that the deal is still in motion
“There is a contract to supply these systems to Iran, and we will fulfill it … Delays (with deliveries) are linked to technical problems with adjusting these systems,” Ryabkov said on Friday.
The Russian official warned against attempts in Israel and the US to politicize and, to some extent, demonize the nature of Russia’s arms export to Iran.
“It is absolutely incorrect to put the emphasis on the issue of S-300 supplies… and to turn it into a major problem, to say nothing of linking it to the discussion on restoring trust in the purely peaceful character of Iran’s nuclear program,” Ryabkov said.
Faced with a looming threat against its enrichment infrastructure, Tehran has decided to acquire the sophisticated S-300, a mobile land-based system designed to detect and shoot down aircraft within a 120 km (75 miles) distance.
Codenamed ‘the SA-20 Gargoyle’ by NATO, the system also features high jamming immunity and is capable of simultaneously engaging up to 100 targets.
If delivered, SA-20 would make Iranian nuclear sites ‘invincible’ in the face of any attack, including aerial saturation bombings typical of Israel.
With that in mind, the Israeli leadership has gone to great lengths to stop Iran from acquiring the S-300 defense system.
“The S-300 is a Russian-made surface-to-air missile system that is very advanced, with long ranges and many capabilities,” Israeli Air Force (IAF) commander, Major General Ido Nehushtan said in September.
“We need to make every effort to stop this system from getting to places where the IAF needs to operate or may need to operate in the future,” he added.
Israel has on numerous occasions threatened to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites, arguing that the country’s enrichment activities are an existential threat to Tel Aviv, which ironically is reported to have an arsenal of 200 nuclear warheads at its disposal.
This is while Tehran says its enrichment program is purely peaceful and unlike Tel Aviv, has allowed regular inspections of its nuclear installations.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=119043§ionid=351020104
Ahmadinejad: Iran and Syria will create a new world order
(HAARETZ) Iran and Syria plan to create a new world order, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday.
“Iran and Syria have a joint mission to create a new world order on the basis of justice, humanity and belief in God,” Ahmadinejad told visiting Syrian Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Abrash.
Syria is Iran’s main ally in the Middle East and both countries consider Israel to be their political arch-foe.
“At the current juncture, the role of Iran and Syria is historic and therefore bilateral cooperation should be increased,” Mehr news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.
The semi-official FARS news agency reported that Ahmadinejad said that “the resistance of nations including Iran and Syria has caused a deadlock in policies of Arrogant System in economic, political and military sections.”
He also turned to presence of bulling powers’ forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen and said, “The enemies’ plots will harm themselves.”
Iran’s president added that he felt that the United States would eventually be forced by the two states to stop interference in the region and withdraw its military personnel.
Mehr quoted the Syrian speaker as saying that Iran and Syria would side by side move towards continued resistance and fight against world imperialism.
Also on Thursday, Syria’s state-run news agency reported that Syria’s president Bashar Assad is urging the United States to play a stronger role in Mideast peacemaking.
Assad appealed to the U.S. on Thursday during a meeting with U.S. congressman Alcee Hastings in Damascus.
President Barack Obama has stepped up diplomatic efforts to improve ties with Syria and push the country away from its alliance with Iran and its support of militants like Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas.
Damascus wants to end its international isolation and hopes the U.S. can help boost its weak economy and mediate peace talks with Israel.
Assad also lashed out at Israel saying it was not ready for peace. The last round of Syria-Israel peace talks collapsed in 2000.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1141049.html
Scott Ritter on the CIA’s Magical Laptop “from” Iran
Riyadh ‘offers airspace’ for Israel attack on Iran
The issue has been discussed in a closed-door meeting in London, where British Intelligence Chief Sir John Scarlett, his Israeli counterpart, Meir Dagan, and Saudi official have been present, Daily Express reported. According to the report, Scarlett has been told that Saudi airspace would be at Israel’s disposal should Tel Aviv decide to move forward with his military plans against Iran. The British daily added the likelihood of an Israeli attack against Iran has increased significantly after the country announced plans to launch its second enrichment facility in the central city of Qom. Press TV contacted the Saudi Embassy in Tehran for information on the report. The embassy, however, was reluctant to elaborate. In line with its policy of nuclear transparency, Iran announced the construction of a second enrichment plant in a letter to the UN nuclear watchdog on September 21. The new plant is due to produce enriched uranium up to 5 percent. The letter was sent 12 months before the agency’s regulations oblige its member states to inform the body of new developments. With eyes firmly fixed on Iran’s nuclear progressions, the right-wing government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened to bomb the country’s enrichment facilities out of existence. Tel Aviv accuses Tehran of nuclear weapons development – a charge rejected by both Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog, which has so far made “21 unannounced inspections” of the country’s nuclear facilities. The UN nuclear watchdog in its previous reports has confirmed that Iran only enriches uranium-235 to a level of “less than 5 percent.” Uranium, which fuels a nuclear power plant, can be used for military purposes only if enriched to high levels of above 90 percent. Details of the controversial Israeli plans to attack Iran emerged after John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, recently told a group of intelligence analysts that “Riyadh certainly approves” of Israel’s use of Saudi airspace in the event of war with Iran. Bolton, had previously said he had discussed the possibility with Saudi officials in closed-door meetings. “None of them would say anything about it publicly but they would certainly acquiesce in an overflight if the Israelis didn’t trumpet it as a big success.” The recent revelations follow a flurry of media reports in July, which suggested the Saudi government had approved the use of its airspace for an attack. While Saudi officials deny having diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv, an Israeli defense source has confirmed that the Mossad spy agency maintained “working relations” with the kingdom. According to a study published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a military exchange between Iran and Israel could result in the death of as many as 6 million people.
Source: PressTV http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=107317§ionid=351020104
Iran to allow IAEA visit nuclear site
September 27, 2009 by POPEYE
Filed under Featured Stories, Iran
(WSVN) Iran will allow the U.N. nuclear agency to inspect a newly revealed and still unfinished uranium enrichment facility, the country’s nuclear chief told state television Saturday.
Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi didn’t specify when inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency could visit the site, but said it has to be worked out with the agency under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty rules.
Iran’s newly revealed enrichment site is said to be in the arid mountains near the holy city of Qom, inside a heavily guarded, underground facility belonging to the elite Revolutionary Guard.
The small-scale site is meant to house no more than 3,000 centrifuges — much less than the more than 8,000 machines at Natanz, Iran’s known industrial-scale enrichment facility. Still, the enriching machines in Qom facility will produce nuclear fuel — or possibly the payload for atomic warheads.
President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy accused Iran on Friday of constructing a secret underground uranium enrichment facility and of hiding its existence from international inspectors for years.
But Salehi said there was nothing secret about the site and that Iran complied with U.N. rules that require it to inform the world body’s nuclear agency six months before a uranium enrichment facility becomes operational.
“Inspection will be within the framework of the regulations … we have no problem with inspection (of the site). We will work out this issue with the agency and will announce the date of the inspection later after reaching an agreement with IAEA,” Salei told state television Saturday.
Salehi, who is also the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said Tehran should be praised, not condemned, for voluntarily revealing the existence of the nuclear facility.
“Under (NPT) rules, we are required to inform the IAEA of the existence of such a facility 180 days before introducing materials but we are announcing it more than a year earlier. Still, we see there is controversy. We are astonished,” he said.
Iran says the new facility won’t be operational for 18 months so Iran has not violated any IAEA requirements.
A close aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, said said Saturday that the Qom facility will be operational soon.
“This new facility, God willing, will become operational soon and will blind the eyes of the enemies,” Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani told the semi-official Fars news agency. It is not clear if he meant less than 18 months.
Salehi said that by reporting the existence of the site voluntarily to the IAEA, Iran “pre-empted a conspiracy” against Tehran by the U.S. and its allies who were hoping to reveal the site as evidence that Iran was developing its nuclear program in secret.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has foiled their planned conspiracy,” he said.
Salehi said construction of the Qom facility was a “precautionary measure” to protect Iran’s nuclear facilities from possible attacks.
“Given the threats we face every day, we are required to take the necessary precautionary measures, spread our facilities and protect our human assets. Therefore, the facility is to guarantee the continuation of our nuclear activities under any conditions,” he told the television.
http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/world/MI132443/
“The US wants to punish country that Israel doesn’t like”
September 27, 2009 by POPEYE
Filed under Featured Stories, Iran
(RUSSIA TODAY) The US has warned Iran of further sanctions. Prof Pirouz Mojtahed-Zadeh from the University of Tehran says America is committed to the existence and security of Israel, therefore wants to punish any country it doesn’t like.
On Friday, the Islamic Republic of Iran was warned that tougher sanctions would be imposed unless the state lived up to its international responsibilities. The move came after Iran informed the IAEA that it has a second uranium enrichment facility.
“According to the NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] rules, a country… has to declare new facilities 180 days before any nuclear material is added,” said Prof. Pirouz Mojtahed-Zadeh from the University of Tehran.
Now, he went on, “at the stage that the Iranians say their new facility is, it is perhaps 180 months before” any nuclear materials will be used there.
Dr. Shmuel Gordon, former pilot for Israeli air force said he is “confident that Iran is working on atomic bomb.”
“They don’t need any nuclear energy, because they have a lot of sources of oil for the next 50 to 100 years,” he said.
So, he wondered, “Why should they invest so much money, so much of their resources into this project, instead of feeding hundreds of poor people in the streets of Tehran, Islamabad, and other places?”
Mojtahed-Zadeh, however, countered the claim, saying that even though Iran is one of the world’s largest oil producers, its “domestic energy consumption is at a level that Iran has to seek alternative sources for it.”
“Even the Americans suggested that Iran should go for alternative sources, especially nuclear energy,” he said.
As for sanctions against Iran, which seem more and more likely now, Israeli opponent Gordon said he doesn’t believe in them.
“The regime doesn’t care about the poverty and slavery of its people,” he stated.
According to Mojtahed-Zadeh, the US, Britain, France and Germany “will impose sanctions and other punitive measures on Iran”, whatever IAEA says.
“America is committed to the security, and to the existence and defense of Israel,” he said. Therefore, “the American president will have to find some excuses…to punish the state that Israel doesn’t like”.
“If Iran was to pack up its entire nuclear energy program today, the next excuse would be, “Why is Iran producing cars? If they don’t stop producing cars, we will attack Iran,” he said.
