NEWS ANALYSIS: IRANIANS TRYING TO INFLUENCE EVENTS IN IRAQ
Iran's increasing support for insurgent Shiites in Iraq is giving the fighting in Najaf the appearance of a proxy war between Iran and the United States, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C...84657%2C00.html
I have been trying to follow the Iran situation as closely as I can. The Bush administration has made it very clear so far that they are forgoing their 'go-it-alone' foreign policy, and has gone directly to the UN Security Council for intervention. Some have viewed this as a political move, to counter-attack John Kerry's accusations of isolating alliances within the UN. However, the Iran situation is a much more sensitive one than Iraq because of how far Iran has gone to make their 'programs' seem legal and within the boundaries of proper practices. A wrong move by either Israel or the US could bring a lot of trouble knocking on Israel's door, and US forces in and around the Middle East.
International Level: Envoy / Political Participation: 241 24.1%
To the US: Concerned about our Nuclear use? We are going to build more and with your old cold war enemy's help!
IRANIANS DELAY REACTOR START-UP
Iran said Sunday that it would delay the start of its first nuclear reactor, in the southern city of Bushehr, until 2006, but that it intended to build more nuclear power plants with Russian aid.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C...86136%2C00.html
IAEA, IRAN FACE NUCLEAR SHOWDOWN
The U.N. atomic watchdog agency met Monday to discuss a European draft
resolution on Iran's nuclear program, with the United States lobbying its
allies to have Tehran hauled before the Security Council.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/09/13/...a.ap/index.html
Iran is moving forward rather rapidly with their nuke program. From World Net Daily.
QUOTE |
Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged his country's weapons developers to step up work on making a nuclear bomb, a U.S. official said, according to Geostrategy-Direct, the global intelligence news service. According to the official, an authoritative source in the Iranian exile community has stated that Khamenei met recently with senior government and military leaders on the nuclear weapons program. Khamenei told the gathering, "We must have two bombs ready to go in January or you are not Muslims," the official said. Jafari-Jalali, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Majles, stated in an Iranian press interview last week that the recent International Atomic Energy Agency resolution calling on Iran to halt uranium enrichment could lead to Tehran withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Iran test-fired a Shihab-3 on Sept. 18 and had also tested one in August. |
International Level: Ambassador / Political Participation: 595 59.5%
IRAN APPROVES URANIUM ENRICHMENT
Iran's parliament Sunday unanimously passed a resolution allowing the
government to continue its uranium enrichment activities, despite recent
efforts by European negotiators to curb the program.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/10/31...lear/index.html
POWELL: INTELLIGENCE SUGGESTS IRAN TRYING TO ADAPT MISSILES FOR NUKES
The United States has intelligence indicating Iran is trying to fit missiles
to carry nuclear weapons, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said.
Exactly how serious is the threat posed by Iran? We'll ask former chief U.S.
weapons inspector David Kay.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/11/18/...n.ap/index.html
I don't think the US will go after Iran in the near future, they have their hands full with Iraq.
One possible scenario, however, is a US supported attack by Israel, on selected target ie; nuclear facilities. If this happen, I believe the rest of the Arab world would unite to condemn Israel, and Egypt breaking off diplomatic ties with Israel. This scenario would be very bad for the US. Why? the US would be seen has the real aggressor, the link(Egypt) between Israel and the Arab world would be broken and we would see for the first time in 50-75 years a United Arab front, the last thing the US wants.