Tehran, Iran. It is not a target. It is a city of 71 million people, including the suburbs the population is 12 million.
What current USA foreign policy lacks is a clear definition of nuclear capacity as defined by weaponry. The USA must return to Non-Proliferation with clear 'benchmarks' in regard to disarmament as matched by powers globally. There has been clearly complete disregard for the Non-Proliferation Treaty by the USA and that is what has sovereign nations reaching for nuclear capcity in the form of weapons.
The EU has been instrumental in placing United Nation's Inspectors where they discovered the boasting of the Iranian President was indeed truthful boasting. The sanctions adopted by the United Nations with negotiations carried out by the EU has worked to pry open a transparency Iran did not want to allow. I congratulate all the diplomats to date as they have achieved what seemed like the unachievable and in the face of impossible dealings of the USA. I might remind Bush and Rice have been very aggressive in their stance toward Iran without even recognizing their goals were something Halliburtion had already achieved; invading Iran for it's oil and gas.
By Trita Parsi As the world powers gathered in Berlin last week to discuss new punitive measures against Iran's nuclear program, Europe is faced with a daunting task.
On the one hand, it must remain tough and steadfast against Iran's defiance of two UN Security Council Resolutions. On the other hand, it must redefine suspension of enrichment in order to kick-start much needed negotiations and end the current lose-lose game being played between the West and Iran.
Back in the summer of 2006, European diplomats feared that escalation in the Security Council would aggravate the Iranian nuclear stand-off and render a solution more difficult. These fears have now been realized, as Iran has defied two Chapter VII UN Security Council Resolutions demanding that it suspend its uranium enrichment program, and retaliated by scaling down its cooperation with the IAEA.
On the one hand, it must remain tough and steadfast against Iran's defiance of two UN Security Council Resolutions. On the other hand, it must redefine suspension of enrichment in order to kick-start much needed negotiations and end the current lose-lose game being played between the West and Iran.
Back in the summer of 2006, European diplomats feared that escalation in the Security Council would aggravate the Iranian nuclear stand-off and render a solution more difficult. These fears have now been realized, as Iran has defied two Chapter VII UN Security Council Resolutions demanding that it suspend its uranium enrichment program, and retaliated by scaling down its cooperation with the IAEA.
This is an editorial in "The Tehran Times." I would dare say the Iranian people understand the brevity of the circumstances they face. They also realize there is an out of control war just over their border in Iraq, including people not very different than they, the Shia.
If anyone visits this blog regularly, it is well known my view of the Shia, their legitimate plight and how it radicalized them. The Shia in many ways has been the West's best kept secret to allow the flow of oil for their oversized carbon burning societies. The Shia have always been the minority and their religious lineage has been nearly obliterated from Earth resulting in a clear understanding that with such destruction of the people of their religious basis goes the people themselves. It is clearly a form of genocide. I'll spell that for you. G-E-N-O-C-I-D-E. That is enough for the largest Shi'ite nation of Earth to not only build nuclear weapons but deploy them in revenge for the hatred of them that has nearly annhilated their holy men.
It is for that reason, Iran cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapon capacity or to enrich uranium to that capacity. The other issue is whether Iran should enrich uranium at all and my answer is no. Is invasion justified? No, it is not. There are extenuating circumstances with Iran as both the USA and Iranian leadership have been engaged in a 'hate mongering' shouting match across the Atlantic and it is simply outrageous. Iran, if allowed to develop nuclear weapons will most assuredly use them and might even use them in conjunction with Pakistan in attacking Israel and/or India. It's simply an outrageous idea and one propagated by George Walker Bush and Richard Cheney.
The United Nations under it's new president is leading North Korea away from the brink and providing dignity to it's foreign relations rather than inciting brinkmanship. It's a remarkable change of direction for North Korea and most admirable. I congratulate China for that accomplishment in considering North Korea a valuable trading partner and one considered important enough to be an ally. The same now holds true for the relationship Russia has developed with Iran and there in lies the answer to the Iranian proliferation issue.
TEHRAN, May 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russian-Iranian trade turnover that totaled $2 billion in 2006 could double in the next few years, a deputy Russian foreign minister said.
"Trade turnover between Russia and Iran that totaled $2 billion was in our favor. Now our sales are decreasing. But in years to come, there are prospects that bilateral trade turnover will double," Alexander Losyukov told RIA Novosti Tuesday at the end of a two-day visit to Tehran.
Losyukov met with a deputy Iranian foreign minister, Mehdi Safari, and parliamentarians to discuss bilateral relations, regional issues, including the situation in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the two countries' interaction in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Losyukov said Russia and Iran have common interests in the region, including stability in Afghanistan and a resolution to the issue of the Caspian's legal status, as well as the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.
"In the trade and economic sphere, we also have many common interests, in particular, in oil and gas. Iranians, while being big producers of oil and gas, are interested in coordinating price policy, volumes of energy production and transportation with Russia," he said, adding the Caspian states' foreign ministers could meet in Tehran in the second part of June to discuss the Caspian's legal status.
"Trade turnover between Russia and Iran that totaled $2 billion was in our favor. Now our sales are decreasing. But in years to come, there are prospects that bilateral trade turnover will double," Alexander Losyukov told RIA Novosti Tuesday at the end of a two-day visit to Tehran.
Losyukov met with a deputy Iranian foreign minister, Mehdi Safari, and parliamentarians to discuss bilateral relations, regional issues, including the situation in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the two countries' interaction in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Losyukov said Russia and Iran have common interests in the region, including stability in Afghanistan and a resolution to the issue of the Caspian's legal status, as well as the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.
"In the trade and economic sphere, we also have many common interests, in particular, in oil and gas. Iranians, while being big producers of oil and gas, are interested in coordinating price policy, volumes of energy production and transportation with Russia," he said, adding the Caspian states' foreign ministers could meet in Tehran in the second part of June to discuss the Caspian's legal status.
...He also said the next meeting of the CSTO's Collective Security Council has been scheduled for July 17 in Moscow to discuss the organization's peacekeeping mechanisms....
Trade sanctions to date have been a leverage to allow UN Inspectors into Iran and causing a transparency that increased the concern for the rapid advance Iran was making in it's nuclear program. As noted widely at the IAEA site available by clicking the title the use of nuclear energy is a perferred from of production sparing Earth from larger emissions of carbon dioxide, for that reason alone no sovereign authority should be denied the opportunity to have nuclear energy, until of course, a better alternative existed and then it would be a matter of dismantling any reactor globally regardless of the country to fully realize the brevity of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The Natanz Reactor (click here) and nuclear program was originally begun by the USA. It is for that reason the USA and Israel has no reason to complain. The USA is Israel's ally, at least in name only, and there existed a relationship with Iran by both countries some time ago that allowed Iran to develop a nuclear reactor for peaceful purposes. It was the friendship of sorts that Israel maintained which allowed it to destroy the Iraq reactor. It was at that time when Iran and Israel were closely linked in their view of the world and the dangers of a nuclear Iraq. It is that reality the USA and Israel needs to draw on as well as Israel's 'good faith' relationship with Russia that will bring these circumstances to a legitimate peaceful resolve.
In realizing and owning up to the past and why Iran has nuclear capacity in the first place brings me to the reason Russia is involved in this mess at all and that is to help the Iranians finish a project, form a legitimate alliance with them and provide for their well being rather than their radicalization. Russia simply loves stable political states. It also fights it's major wars as the USA does; on distant soil. Therefore, the danger to the Shia of Iran and it's capacity to protect the Shia of the region are two fold. They do not want to be invaded as Iraq has by the USA and it does not want to be a puppet to the Russians while seeing themselves as 'protector of the faith.' The leaders of Iran are caught between a rock and a hard place if left without a significant military solution to the reassurance that their country will not become another Iraq or another communist state whereby war takes place to protect Russian boders. Either scenarios send chills down the spine of the Iranians resulting in the defiance of international treaties, the placement of sanctions and the building of sustained poor diplomatic realtions.
China's relationship with North Korea is not compromised by distance or differences in religious lineage. China's alliance with North Korea is a bit more simple and more reassuring then that of Russia with Iran. However, Russia is not intimidated by advancing peace and is not intimidated by defending distant borders. Contrary to that, Russia is the largest square mileage nation on Earth and has a deep understanding about defense of borders at a distance from Moscow. In that, Iran should not consider itself a political state of Russia so much as a trading partner in control of it's borders. However, Iran can be reassured that Russia will be a strong military ally if that ever becomes necessary, which I sincerely dont' see happening. No one in their right mind will confront Iran willing to kill more people. I don't see that happening at all. The Iranian people need to shift their political concerns back toward a democratic process in realizing there is a majority Shia of Iraq and a government and holy men that favor them.
Russia has a nuclear program that is very open and supportive of all and any nations that seek nuclear energy in a complicated world whereby nuclear weapons are viewed as a threat to their nations and the emission of carbon dioxide is a danger to all people and stability of nations. Russia's nuclear program should be advocated by the IAEA and monitored to assure both The West and Russia there is no preceived manipulation of the fuel rods. Iran needs to be a good trading partner with Russia and secure it's nuclear capacity with imported fuel and exported waste. Just the nuclear waste issue alone can be a matter of National Security for Iran, not only for the safety of it's people in deposing of such waste but also deposing it away from terrorist access that can be used against the Iranian people as well as The West.
In realizing the 'best interest' for all in this matter, I find it unfortunate that the EU is resisting a realtionship with Russia. It would seem where there is a balance of trade there is a balance of loyality and the capacity to leverage transparency when necessary. The EU should reconsider their position and begin talks with Russia in expanding trade and securing natural gas access for their nations.
...Talks on a new deal to replace the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) expiring in December were to be launched at a summit in Russia May 18, but will have to be delayed again after Poland extended its November 2006 veto Monday, citing Moscow's refusal to lift an import ban on its meat, which it calls political....
Better trade relations - Respecting the brevity of Non-Proliferation - UN Inspections of all nuclear facilities to insure complete safety of the peaceful use of the technology - Respecting all aspects of difference and embracing it. I never want to realize again how policies of the USA favor one cultural venue over another causing the near annihilation of an entire populous of Shia in the world.
End of discussion.
