Iran Super Thread- Merged

[midget-boyd91]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/03/24/iran.nuclear/index.html

Security Council approves new sanctions on Iran
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Iran's foreign minister rejected a unanimous vote by the U.N. Security Council on Saturday to impose new sanctions on Iran because of its refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment program.

Speaking to the 15-member council in measured tones after the vote, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said, "Iran presents no threat to international peace and security and therefore falls outside the council's charter mandate."

Western nations, including the United States, contend Iran is using the uranium program to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran says the technology will only be for civilian use.

"As we have stressed time and again, Iran's nuclear program is completely peaceful," Mottaki said.

Despite his denial that the Security Council has any power over Iran, Mottaki offered hope that the impasse can be resolved.

"We have expressed our readiness to take unprecedented steps and offered several proposals to allay possible concern in this regard," he said.
MORE ON LINK
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/03/24/iran.nuclear/index.html

"Iran presents no threat to international peace and security and, therefore, falls outside the council's charter mandate,"

NO THREAT??? I can recall a ceratin thing said by the president of Iran that says something about Israel being wiped off the face of the earth in on great storm.  HMMM...... That sounds rather threatening to me.

 

[tomahawk6]

The banking restrictions will hurt them the most.

 

[mckee19]

The banking restrictions will hurt them the most.

agreed

 

[Mike Baker]

Hmmm, what will happen next I wonder.

 

[Kirkhill]

Under the heading of coincidences --

Last summer, when the UN was due to debate sanctions on Iran, Hezbollah captured Israeli hostages, Israel retaliated militarily, Iran got shuffled aside in the dust storm.
This spring, when the UN is due to debate sanctions on Iran, Iran captures British hostages.......Britain doesn't retaliate, UN authorizes sanctions.

IIRC both times Ahmadinejad was scheduled to appear at the UN at the same time the hostages were taken.....

Or is my memory playing me false again?

 

[GAP]

These "sanctions" are so watered down under the threat of Chinese and Russion veto, they will do little to hurt Iran...

 

[Mike Baker]

These "sanctions" are so watered down under the threat of Chinese and Russion veto, they will do little to hurt Iran...

So, in other words, basically nothing is being done to get Iran to let the Brits go?  I don't like these politics.

 

[GAP]

The two are separate issues.

 

[midget-boyd91]

So, in other words, basically nothing is being done to get Iran to let the Brits go?  I don't like these politics.

I wouldn't say NOTHING is being done. You have to remember that almost immediately after the arrests (kidnaps is a much better word) the Iranian and British were already in discussions with each other. There are the "behind the curtains" discussions which are trying vigorously to come up with the release of the Brits, but.... unfortunately many (if not most) of the factors that come up with the end results have to do with the way the medias play with the story. And Iran has already reported to its people that they were arrested in Iranian waters, and due to political unpopularity the government is not going to be able to appear weak and back down.

 

[Mike Baker]

I wouldn't say NOTHING is being done. You have to remember that almost immediately after the arrests (kidnaps is a much better word) the Iranian and British were already in discussions with each other. There are the "behind the curtains" discussions which are trying vigorously to come up with the release of the Brits, but.... unfortunately many (if not most) of the factors that come up with the end results have to do with the way the medias play with the story. And Iran has already reported to its people that they were arrested in Iranian waters, and due to political unpopularity the government is not going to be able to appear weak and back down.

That's what I figured, though not much has happened so far.

 

[aesop081]

So, in other words, basically nothing is being done to get Iran to let the Brits go?  I don't like these politics.

As GAP already said, those are 2 seperate issues.  The sanctions are in response to Iran's nuclear program not recent events .

 

[Mike Baker]

As GAP already said, those are 2 seperate issues.  The sanctions are in response to Iran's nuclear program not recent events .

Yes I know that, now.

 

[Kirkhill]

My point was that I found it coincidental that the last time that it looked likely that Iran was to be "sanctioned" a hostage taking crisis removed the issue from the table for a while.

I was merely wondering allowed if this was an attempt to go back to the same well to achieve the same result - try and provoke a reaction that  would change the focus from Iran as culprit to Iran as victim of an "inappropriate response".

As to "not liking these politics" I am afraid that is the role of the soldier.....to put themselves at the service of politicians.

 

[tomahawk6]

Right now the UN is trying to discourage Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons through sanctions. Its the same game plan we used against Saddam to get him to give up his WMD. Ultimately military action may be required if that day comes at least all the diplomatic avenues were explored.

This was posted on an Iranian news site in December.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53577

An official state media website in Iran has posted a message heralding the coming of the Shiite messianic figure, Imam Mahdi, noting he could arrive with Jesus by the spring equinox.

 

[Kirkhill]

Right now the UN is trying to discourage Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons through sanctions. Its the same game plan we used against Saddam to get him to give up his WMD. Ultimately military action may be required if that day comes at least all the diplomatic avenues were explored.

This was posted on an Iranian news site in December.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53577

Nice to have a "date certain" for planning purposes.  I suppose I had better pick a religion and by my ringside seats for Armageddon............. :

 

[The Bread Guy]

Don't know if this is too much of a diversion, but anyone want to assess the chances of Iran's newest "guests":
http://kdka.com/topstories/topstories_story_085070101.html

may end up getting accomodations at some of these plants?

 

[TN2IC]

Says error on the site.

 

[Mike Baker]

Can't get the link working, it says there is an error.

 

[GAP]

Iranian-Made Arms Seized in Afghanistan, Pace Says (Update1)
By Tony Capacco April 17 (Bloomberg)
Article Link

Iranian-made arms bound for the Taliban were intercepted by coalition forces in Afghanistan within the past month, General Peter Pace, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said today.

U.S. and coalition forces seized mortars and explosives in Kandahar, a city in southeast Afghanistan near Pakistan, Pace told reporters at a breakfast meeting in Washington. He said it's not known if the Iranian government was involved in the transfer.

It ``is not as clear in Afghanistan, which Iranian entity is responsible, but we have intercepted weapons headed for the Taliban that were made in Iran,'' Pace said.

His remarks are the first to disclose that Iranian weapons are showing up in Afghanistan, where Taliban fighters have increased attacks in an effort to destabilize the government of President Hamid Karzai. The U.S. since last year has accused Iran of supplying weapons and technology to Shiite insurgents in Iraq.

Assuming Pace's remarks are accurate and the arms transfers are sanctioned by the Iranian government, the disclosure ``is highly significant'' because it indicates that Iran is becoming ``more aggressive'' in it attempts to inflict damage on U.S. troops in the region, said Ken Katzman, a terrorism analyst with the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress.

Iran, for example, doesn't have ``a natural alliance'' with the largely Sunni Taliban, Katzman said.
More on link

 

[Armymedic]

U.S. and coalition forces seized mortars and explosives in Kandahar, a city in southeast Afghanistan near Pakistan

Would it not be ironic, given the recent incident between Iran and Britian, if British forces captured these arms. Can you say "powder keg"?