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An A-O Special Report

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Editor's Note: We have separated the following seven news article from this week's A-O Mideast News Spotlight because of the heavy load of Mideast News and we wanted these 7 articles to not become lost in the shuffle of news. These articles point to an alarming escalation of Iran's nuclear weapons program to include nuclear delivery systems not just regionally but globally. Also included in this section are diplomatic efforts related to Iran's nuclear program.
 

The Jerusalem Post reports today that Iran is building a new rocket launch site with North Korean assistance. The Jerusalem Post cites and Israel Radio broadcast which quoted IHS Jane’s Defense News Agency as it's source for the revelation..

The new launcher, constructed near an existing rocket base in the Semnan province east of Teheran, is visible in satellite imagery, according to the report.

The defense intelligence group said the appearance of the launcher suggests assistance from North Korea, and that it may be intended to launch the Simorgh, a long-range Iranian-made missile unveiled in early February and officially intended to be used as a space-launch vehicle (SLV). SLV’s can be converted to be used as long-range ballistic missiles for military purposes.

Both the missile and the launch pad, which according to Jane’s is large enough to accommodate it, point to cooperation from Pyongyang.

Tal Inbar, head of the Space Research Center at the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies, said shortly after the unveiling of the Simorgh that the rocket is a worrisome development since themissile could one day be adapted into an ICBM, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

After analyzing images of the missile, Inbar said that it appeared to currently be powered by liquid fuel, but could one day be configured to work with a solid fuel propellant, a technology that the Iranians have already begun using in their Sajil ballisticmissile, which has a range of around 2,500 km.

"This is a major technological breakthrough and could mean that the Iranians are on their way to obtaining an ICBM," he said.

For the full article on this story - LINK HERE.

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Ayatollah Masbah Yazdi, the spiritual teacher of Iran’s dictator Mahmoud Ahmedinajad, says that the acquisition of nuclear weapons is a religious obligation. So reports the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC), headquartered in Ramat HaSharon.

Yazdi, considered one of the leading religious thinkers in Iran, authored a book in which he wrote that attaining the ability to independently produce “special combat means of a specific type” is not only a military obligation for Iran, but also a religious one.

Just ten days ago, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the opposite. Speaking to army commanders at the launch of a new Iranian naval destroyer, Khamenei said, “Our religious beliefs are against the use of [nuclear] weapons. We in no way believe in an atomic weapon and do not seek one."

Yazdi wrote that the country’s leaders need not fear the financial costs of producing atomic weapons, as these would be more than compensated for by the “Divine and Messianic aid” that would result. Even more details, LINK HERE.

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The UN Security Council is getting ready for consideration of a new United States proposal calling for harsh, new, economic sanctions against Iran as a means to force Iran to conform to UN Security Council resolutions calling for Iran to suspend its nuclear uranium enrichment program.

Joining with the United States are the nations of France, Britain and Germany. The Big-4 are finishing a draft proposal for new sanctions against Iran. France is proposing the idea of targeting Iran's oil and gas industry with sanctions, which is more strict than the US proposal to merely prohibit investment funds in that sector.

It is unclear how China, Russia, Brazil, Turkey or Lebanon will vote on such a proposal. Each of those nations could vote to abstain instead of voting yes or no. More details, LINK HERE.

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Red China officially rejected U.S. pleas to support new sanctions against Iran in an effort to halt Iran's nuclear program. More details, LINK HERE.

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