Tensions mount between Iran, the U.S. and Israel over
Iran's nuclear program
Feb 2005 Update - Intelligence Sources confirm that the window of
opportunity to attack Iran's Nuclear facilities closes in two months. After that time Iran
most likely will posses nuclear bombs. Israel is on alert. U.S. still attempting
diplomatic measures.
Hasty deep underground digging and construction in the area might be an attempt to protect
the material and equipment from air strikes and to hide it from prying eyes and UN
Inspectors.
Iran refuses to relinquished its 20 year long effort to acquire the capacity to make
nuclear bomb fuel and has not agreed to stop building a plutonium separation plant that
would provide a second route to nuclear weapons production. Iran is unwilling to turn the temporary
suspension into a complete and verifiable renunciation of all uranium and
plutonium enrichment programs capable of producing nuclear bomb fuel.
Under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, to which Iran is a signatory, countries have
the right to process fuel for use in civilian nuclear reactors. The same process also can
be used to produce highly enriched fuel for nuclear weapons. Signatories are to report all
programs to the International Atomic Energy Agency (headed by Mohamed El Baradei see news
story on main page)
Iran was confronted with evidence in 2002 and admitted to 18 years of covert experiments
and construction of its nuclear program. In 2003 partial agreements and temporary
suspensions were implemented to foil UN sanctions on Iran. At a news conference, Hassan
Rowhani, Iran's national security chief and lead negotiator said, "Cessation is our
red line." In all agreements there is no talk of cessation, but only voluntary
suspension. Intelligence sources say the window for completion of nuclear bombs is April
2005.
July 2005
Irans Defense Minister commented on an Arab TV station that Iran is concerned about the
U.S. military activities in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said that some Iranian generals are
in favor of pre-emptive strikes against U.S. and Israeli forces if they sense an impending
threat on their soil.
Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani told Al Jazeera TV that Tehran will not stand by if
it believes U.S. or Israeli forces are preparing for an attack. He also said it's certain
to us that Israel won't carry out any military action without approval from the U.S.
The comments came amid heightened tensions between Iran, the U.S. and Israel over Iran's
nuclear program. Tehran says its first nuclear power station is to simply being used to
generate electricity. President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon say they suspect Iran is
secretly developing nuclear weapons.
An Iranian military official told reporters Israel and the United States "would not
dare" attack Iran since it could strike back anywhere in Israel and against U.S.
military installations in the Middle East with its latest missiles, including the Shehab-3
medium-range ballistic missile, which experts say is capable of striking Israel or U.S.
bases in the Gulf.
In July Israel conducted military exercises for a strike against several of Iran's
nuclear-power facilities and is ready to attack if Russia supplies Iran with rods for
enriching uranium. Russia is expected to deliver the rods after a dispute over financial
terms is resolved.
An Israeli defense source said, "Israel will on no account permit Iranian reactors
especially the one being built in Bushehr to go critical." "If international
efforts fail," the source said, "we are confident we'll be able to demolish the
nuclear reactors."
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BACKGROUND
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps demonstrated the integration of a system that turns
the Shihab-3 intermediate-range ballistic missile from a flying metal tube into a deadly
weapon against Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States, reports Geostrategy-Direct, the
global intelligence news service.
The Shihab-3's problem has not been its range, but its accuracy. With a range of 1,400
kilometers, it can reach anywhere in Iraq, Israel and Saudi Arabia.
But the missile, based on the North Korean No Dong, was not accurate. The Iranians
appeared to have changed all that. Tehran has procured and integrated a Chinese missile
navigation system into the Shihab-3 apparently based on the Global Positioning System, or
GPS.
In one test, the Iranians skipped a generation in technology and posed a threat to U.S.
interests throughout the Middle East.
As WorldNetDaily reported, in 1995, the Clinton administration approved the sale
of GPS technology directly to a company owned by the Chinese Air Force. "The
Iranians wanted to overcome the lack of accuracy in their missiles so they didn't have to
target cities," a U.S. intelligence source said.
"Although the Iranians talked tough, targeting cities posed a political problem for
them. Now the Iranians can strike Israeli military and U.S. military targets in Iraq if
Teheran's nuclear weapons program is struck. Naturally, the Iranians are ecstatic."
The Shihab-3 could incorporate a nuclear weapon and Teheran has been working hard to
develop its first indigenous atomic bomb. Iran has been getting plenty of assistance from
China, North Korea, Pakistan and Russia.
North Korea has been the greatest of
help, and many in the U.S. intelligence community have concluded that Iran and North Korea
have informally linked both their long-range missile as well as nuclear weapons programs.
The next step will probably be a launch of the new Shihab-3 missile. This could occur
ANYTIME if the Iranian leadership feels it would help deter Israel and the United States.
Aaron Klein is WorldNetDaily's special Middle
East correspondent, By Aaron Klein WorldNetDaily.com |
