Mideast News Round Up for 8-9-8
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Mideast News Round Up
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For
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8-9-8
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Editor's Note: Due to the special coverage for Russia's invasion of Georgia and the crush of news for the Middle East, we're posting this Mideast Round Up page as separate from the regular Weekly News Round Up to give readers some special separation instead of piling everything into one, big, jumbled page of news.
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EU Expands Sanctions Against Iran
Iran's stalling tactics at the negotiating table have forced the EU to expand sanctions against Iran. The expanded sanctions targets loans to companies trading with Iran and allows for tougher cargo inspections. More details, LINK HERE.
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US & UK Plan Tough
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Energy Sanctions On Iran
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To Bar Oil & Gas Investments
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Iran Replies To EU Nuke Package
Iran has delivered its reply to proposals laid out by EU officials aimed at defusing the row over Tehran's nuclear programme.
The "written response" was handed to EU officials in Brussles on Tuesday, according to Iran's Fars news agency, but the message is thought to avoid mention of a freeze on Iran's nuclear work.
"The letter does not mention the freeze-for-freeze issue," the Reuters news agency quoted a senior Iranian official as saying.
The freeze is a step Western powers have demanded if Iran is to avoid more UN sanctions.
"Iran's position hasn't really changed as far as any suspension of its nuclear centrifuge activity is concerned," Elahe Mohtasham, a nuclear specialist from the Foreign Policy Centre in London, told Al Jazeera.
"The best bet - in terms of the interests of the West - is to start negotaitons without any precondiditions ... and then in the course of negotations maybe we will be able to get more concessions from Iran," she said.
"Sanctions haven't worked and are very unlikely to work. Any further sanctions would really increase the price of oil and wouldn't benefit the world economy." More details, LINK HERE.
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Iran Promises "Final Response"
Wants Clarifications First
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Iran Ramps Up War Talk
Warns of Oil Cut Off
Has New Naval Weapon
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Iran's New Naval Weapon
Could Close Strait of Hormuz?
The prestigious Jane's Publishing Group, famous for its annual "Jane's Fighting Ships" has posted a news article in response to Iran's latest claim of developing a new type of naval missile capable of closing the Strait of Hormuz.
An Iranian military official warned that Iran had developed a new naval missile which along with other anti-ship missiles could enable Iran to sink any ship trying to traverse the Strait of Hormuz and thus blocking all oil tankers from leaving the Persian Gulf.
The Iranian announcement came after Iran missed the two week deadline to respond to the EU's latest compromise offer. The Iranians did finally respond to that offer in writing on Tuesday. For more details on the new missile from Jane's, LINK HERE.
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NY Times - War Talk Resumes
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Buildup To The Next War
The New York Times reviews the talk of military action against Iran this year. The Times notes that Israel perceives an Iranian nuclear bomb to be an existential threat to Israel's national security. Because of this threat, Israel would be inclined to attack even without US support and would expect tacit US approval. Why?
If Israel attacked Iran and Iran responded by retaliating against the US, such retaliation would give President Bush full support by Americans and the world to bomb Iran. Retaliation that includes attacking Iran would mean war with the US that could result in certain destruction of Iran's nuclear program and much more. Therefore, it would be in Iran's long term interest to not retaliate against the United States.
Of course, in order for this to work, Israel would have to strike this fall as it might be Israel's last chance to halt Iran's nuclear program, especially if Democratic Senator Obama wins the November election.
The Times article then goes on to evaluate the diplomatic process now in play but draws no conclusions as to whether or not diplomacy or military action will play out in 2008. For more, LINK HERE.
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AP Newswire...
Israel Mulls Iran Air Strike Options
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From DEBKA File...
If Moscow Rejects Sanctions
It Excuses Israeli Attack on Iran
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US sources hint that by rejecting Iran sanctions, Moscow opens door to Israeli attack
Sources in Washington commented Wednesday night, Aug. 6, that, while it is unlikely that Israel would attack Iran without US approval, this might change if tough sanctions were taken off the table. They reported Israel was building up its strike capabilities for an attack, had purchased 90 F-16I planes that can carry enough fuel to reach Iran and would receive another 11 by the end of next year. The Jewish state had also bought two new Dolphin submarines from Germany capable of firing nuclear-armed warheads, in addition to the three already in service with its navy.
According to foreign media, Israel is active inside Iranian territory.
DEBKAfile reports that this information was leaked by Washington sources, apparently to warn Moscow that by closing the door to sanctions, it was opening the door to an Israeli attack.
A few hours earlier by Russian UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin: “There have been no firm agreements or understandings or any kind of concerted work” against Iran over its nuclear program.” He took exception to US and British statements that a fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions was on the cards against Iran for its ambiguous response to the six-power incentives.
The sources disclosed that Israel, believing Tehran will have enough enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb by next year or 2010 at the latest, is worried about Washington’s softening on Iran and intention to open a US office in Tehran.
Washington sources report that Israeli is building up its strike capabilities and appears confident that a military attack would cripple Tehran’s nuclear program even if its installations were too widely scattered to be completely wiped out.
US, British, Russian, Chinese, French, German and European officials spoke by conference earlier in the day. The US and Britain said they had agreed to consider a possible fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions for lack of a clear yes or no from Tehran on the suspension of uranium enrichment in return for incentives.
This the Russian ambassador denied. He also said Moscow had set no deadline for Iran to respond to the offer made on June 19. “The negotiating track is open, there are contacts between the parties,” he said. While Russian would have preferred a clear response, “It’s more complicated than that as we all know.”
He suggested that further talks among the six powers would take place in September on the sidelines of the next UN General Assembly. LINK HERE.
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US Interferes In Lebanon
To Prevent Israeli War on Hezbollah?
A US general’s surprise visit to Lebanon may prevent Israel from attacking Hezbollah according to a Debkafile report. LINK HERE.
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Persian Gulf Council Condemns Iran
For Attacking Arab Monarchies
A spokesman for the Gulf Cooperation Council, a group of Persian Gulf nations, condemned Iran on Thursday for comments made by an Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister who made remarks that questioned the legitimacy of Arab Gulf nations which maintained "pro-western" foreign policies.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mohammadi made some rather inflammatory remarks and predicted the demise of Arab monarchies in the Persian Gulf. He stated, "Soon another crisis will grip the Persian Gulf area, and that is the legitimacy crisis of the monarchies and traditional systems in the region." The semi-official Iranian news agency "Mehr" published the quotation which sparked the GCC's Secretary General's response stating, "Such suspicious comments do not at all help build trust... among states of the region. They can only stoke conflicts and drag the region into a cycle of dangerous crises."
The GCC chief, Abdurrahman al-Attiyah, went on to add, "Those who believe that the present circumstances enable them to expand and exercise control at the expense of others' interests are mistaken." He added that the GCC states "are very disappointed by, and deeply concerned at, such irresponsible remarks and they expect an immediate clarification from Iran of its deputy foreign minister's statement."
The GCC consists of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The comments from the GCC leadership comes just one day after Kuwait reprimanded Iran for its threats to close the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions over Iran's nuclear program and concerns that Israel might launch air strikes to halt Iran's bid for nuclear weapons.
Iran's nuclear program has rattled and worried Iran's Arab neighbors, who fear that Iran has long-range plans to conquer its neighbors and create a new Perssian Empire. For more details on this story, LINK HERE.
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Oil Prices Slide to $115
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Syrian Prez Aide Assassinated
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Syrian-Iranian Leaders Celebrate
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Diplomatic Victory Over The West
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At Tehran Summit
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Israel Protests Iran Prez' Visit To Turkey
Iran's President Ahmadinejad will be visiting Turkey later this week and Israel is lodging a formal protest to Turkey for the visit. Details, LINK HERE.
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USA Think-Tank Study Warns Israel
An Iran Strike Won't Stop Iran
A study by the Institute for Science and International Studies (aka ISIS) concludes that an Israeli air strike against Iran would not succeed in stopping Iran's nuclear program but instead would unify an angry Iranian population and redouble Iranian efforts to obtain a nuclear weapons program. More details, LINK HERE.
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