Iranian Nuclear Crisis Update 10-26-9
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The Iranian Nuclear Crisis
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Updated 10-26-9
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French FM Says:
Israel To Strike Iran IF
IF Negotiations Fail To Halt
Iran's Uranium Enrichment
The Foreign Minister of France, Bernard Kouchner announced as we were going to posting, that if diplomatic talks fail to halt Irans nuclear enrichment program the Israelis "will not tolerate an Iranian bomb."
Kouchner was reacting to Iran's latest remarks concerning the latest UN compromise proposal which offers Iran the opportunity to ship their uranium to Russia for enhancement to medical-grade enrichment. Iran's head of Parliament rejected the offer over the weekend, but a "final answer" from the Supreme Ayatollah has yet to be given.
French Foreign Minister Kouchner's remarks about the repercussions of an Iranian rejection of the compromise focused on the potential Israeli reaction to a failure in the diplomatic talks threatened by an Iranian rejection of the latest UN proposal. Kouchner's remarks continued adding:
We know that, all of us. So that is an additional risk and that is why we must decrease the tension and solve the problem. Hopefully we are going to stop this race to a confrontation. There is the time that Israel will offer us before reacting, because Israel will react as soon as they know clearly that there is a threat."
In response, Iran's foreign minister stated that his country could either buy nuclear fuel for a Tehran medical reactor or agree to the UN compromise proposal and sned its uranium oversease for processing.but the diplomat did not give any indication whether Iran's Supreme Leader would choose to accept the UN proposal.
For more on this story, LINK HERE.
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Iran's FM Says
Israel Will NOT Attack Iran
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Doubts Loom Over Iran Nukes
In Wake of Terror Attack
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If Israel Strikes Iran
US Will Likely Join?
From Israel's Haaretz Newspaper:
The United States would find it difficult not to join an Israeli air strike in the event that Jerusalem decides to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, a former top-ranking U.S. Air Force officer told participants at a conference this weekend organized by a Washington think tank.
Charles F. Wald, former deputy commander of United States European Command, said a military strike on Iran could set back the Islamic Republic's alleged nuclear weapons program by several years, but cautioned, "I don't think Israel can do it alone."
The former commander's remarks were made at an annual gathering of financial backers of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, who were joined by diplomats, journalists and analysts.
"They have a fantastic military, but not big enough for weeks or months of attacks - hundreds of sorties per day," he said.
Wald said that should "our great ally Israel" decide to take military action to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, "pressure will mount for us to stand by Israel."
He also criticized the U.S. government and military leadership for not devoting enough attention to Iran's nuclear program in recent years due to their involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Wald was also asked to comment on the suggestion by Jimmy Carter's former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski last month that the U.S. shoot down Israeli warplanes if they try to fly over Iraq to attack Iran.
"The chance of that," Wald said, "is zero - no, less than zero."
Read the entire Haaretz article - LINK HERE. More from CBS News - LINK HERE -- Additional Details from CBS News - LINK HERE.
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UN Proposes New Nuke Deal
Would Eliminate One Objection
In Nuclear Negotiations
The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog agency, the IAEA has proposed a compromise solution to the Iranian demand to process enriched uranium.
The proposal was presented to Iran and the major world powers, Russia, France, Britain and the U.S. giving those nations until Friday to approve a plan to allow Iran to export its raw uranium to foreign nations for further enrichment for medical purposes.
Under the proposal, Iran would export its entire stock of low-grade uranium to Russian facilities which would conduct most of the enrichment.
Iran recently admitted that its nuclear medicine reactor was running out of uranium and in need of an overhaul. The new proposal would resolve the medical needs for enriched uranium to aid in cancer cases which was an excuse given by the Iranians for the need to process additional enriched uranium.
Iranian negotiators stated that they would refer the proposal back to their government in Tehran for a final decision. The proposal does not resolve the ongoing diplomatic battle to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons, but it does remove one additional stalling tactic put forward by the Iranians. The proposal comes after two and a half days of intensive negotiations. More details, LINK HERE.
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Iran Lawmaker Rejects
Compromise Proposal
A UN compromise proposal on uranium enrichment for Iran was rejected Saturday (10/24) by Iran's Speaker of the Parliament, Ali Larijani. The speaker had also served previously as Iran's chief nuclear negotiator. Larijani's official statement seems to indicate that Iran is rejecting the UN compromise proposal.
For more details, LINK HERE.
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UK Newspaper Reports:
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Israeli Military Strike More Likely
After Iran Rejects UN Compromise
A British newspaper is reporting that an Israeli military strike is more likely after a UN compromise proposal deadline failed to be met by Iran last Friday. On Sunday, Iran's Speaker of Parliament denounced the compromise proposal, indicating that the Iranian government would not accept the proposal.
The Iranian response indicates Tehran's desire to stall for time, something not likely to sit well with Israeli leaders, knowing that time is on Iran's side.
Given that Israeli government has made a nuclear-free Iran its prime international goal, a military strike to try to achieve that is now correspondingly more likely.
The proposed compromise would not have prohibited Iran from continuing to enrich uranium, which prompted Israel's Defense Minister, Ehud Barak to note: "the cessation of enrichment by Iran, and not just the removal of the enriched material. Under no circumstances should any option be removed from the table."
Read the full article from the London Telegraph - LINK HERE.
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US & Israel Conduct War Drills
American and Israeli forces launched a joint military exercise called "Operation Juniper Cobra" this past week after an unexpected one-week delay. The military exercise focuses on air defense of Israel against missile attacks from its neighbors as well as joint anti-terror operations against possible Al Qaeda air attacks. The exercises continue this week, also.
The joint exercises include as many as 17 US Navy warships with anti-missile defense batteries. It is the fifth such joint exercies since 9-11 and is the largest such drill of its kind ever held jointly. The exercise has been in the planning stage for more than a year. For more details, LINK HERE.
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Newsweek Says:
Iran Likely Concealing
Other Secret Nuke Sites
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UN Inspecting Iran's New Nuke Site
UN nuclear inspectors have now arrived in Iran to conduct inspections at the recently disclosed underground nuclear site near Qom. So far, news media reports that Iran is cooperating with the inspection team. More details, LINK HERE.
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