The Drumbeat for a War against Iran - February 2008

128. America helped Iran become a Regional Power - February 01, 2008
"Iran is stronger today because of the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the American ambassador to the United Nations said Friday. The 2003 invasion of Iraq removed a key rival of Shiite Iran with the ouster of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated government. Iran has friendly ties with the Shiites now in power in Iraq. "It's helped Iran's relative position in the region, because Iraq was a rival of Iran ... and the balance there has disintegrated or weakened," Zalmay Khalilzad said while answering questions from students at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. "And so one of the objectives of Iran, in my view, is to discourage a reemergence of Iraq as a balancer. And Afghanistan, too, the change was helpful to Iran."" (John Heilprin ‘US envoy: Iran gained from US invasions’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=29894 February 01, 2008).

129. Iran launches Rocket into Space - February 04, 2008.
Criticisms from the Bush Regime.
"The White House Monday said Iran's rocket launch was "unfortunate" and would only further isolate Tehran from the international community. Iran launched a rocket designed to send a research satellite into orbit, Iranian state television said. "It's unfortunate Iran continues to test ballistic missiles. This regime continues to take steps that only further isolate it and the Iranian people from the international community," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said." (‘White House calls Iran rocket launch 'unfortunate'’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=32290 February 04, 2008); "Mr Ahmadinejad tried to distract attention from these woes by witnessing the launch of a rocket designed to launch a satellite." (David Blair ‘Iran's gas shortages plague Ahmadinejad’ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/05/wiran105.xml February 05, 2008).

Criticisms from Putin.
"Russia said on Wednesday that Iran's test launch of a rocket raised "suspicion" about the real nature of Tehran's nuclear programme, Interfax news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry official as saying. Iran launched a rocket on Monday designed to carry its first locally-made research satellite next year, showing the country's advances in ballistics at a time when Western powers are already jittery about its nuclear plans. "Any movement in terms of creating such a potential weapon naturally worries us and others. All the more so since it creates suspicion towards Iran about its possible desire to create a nuclear weapon," Interfax quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov as saying. "Rockets of such range are one of the components of such a weapons system. Of course this raises concern," he said." (‘Russia says Iran rocket raises nuclear suspicion’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=35331 February 06, 2008).

130. Ahmadinejad is a religious Fanatic who doesn’t understand Economics - February 05, 2008.
Ahmadinejad is constantly denounced in the west for his alleged mismanagement of the iranian economy. It might be questioned which president in the world, indeed throughout history, hasn’t been accused of such a failure but, putting this aside, there was an interesting snippet which might help to explain the political forces at work in iran. "The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has voiced rare criticism of the president. "The present government, similar to any other government, has certain shortcomings which should be mentioned sympathetically," he said. Mr Khamenei, who has offered robust support to Mr Ahmadinejad in the past, overruled the president and insisted on gas being supplied to remote areas of Iran, regardless of the cost." (David Blair ‘Iran's gas shortages plague Ahmadinejad’ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/05/wiran105.xml February 05, 2008). It seems that ahmadinejad is going to get the blame for wasting iranian resources when, in this case, he’s been over-ruled by his boss.

131. French confused over Iran - February 05, 2008.
French Ambassador to the United States Pierre Vimont.
"In a sharp departure from U.S. policy, a leading French diplomat has called on the international coalition sponsoring UN sanctions against Iran to support a larger Iranian role in the Middle East. Ambassador to the United States Pierre Vimont told a conference on Iran at the Middle East Institute in Washington Friday that one reason Iran has refused to give up its nuclear program is its perception of potential threats in the Middle East. "Sometimes they can feel there are threats," Vimont said, "and thus a need for bold initiatives. This is why you have a very strong will to increase their influence in the area." Vimont then called for a shift in the Western diplomatic posture. "If we all agree that what Iran is looking for is to play a larger role in the region," he said, "we have to make it clearer that we are willing to support that."" (Gareth Porter ‘Accept Iran's Regional Role, Says French Envoy’ http://www.antiwar.com/porter/?articleid=12314 February 5, 2008).

French Ambassador to Iran, Bernard Poletti.
"Pascale Andreani confirmed that France's ambassador to Iran had been summoned over the weekend as part of a continuing dispute between the two countries, largely over Iran's nuclear program. Iranian news reports Sunday said the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassador, Bernard Poletti, to protest France's policy toward Iran's nuclear activities. Poletti reiterated the French position that "the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Israeli-Lebanese relations cannot serve as a pretext to question Israel's right to exist," Andreani said in an online briefing Monday. She said the ambassador also emphasized the "very negative impact of these comments on the international community's perception of Iran."" (‘French envoy condemns Iran statements’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=32431 February 04, 2008).

132. The Bush Regime’s Impossibilist Demands on Iran - February 05, 2008.
The bush regime proclaims it is willing to negotiate with iran but only on two pre-conditions. Firstly, that iran suspends its nuclear enrichment programme. Secondly, that iran drops its demand for a security guarantee from america that it will not attack iran. When iranian leaders refuse to accept these totally unacceptable preconditions, the bush regime denounces them for refusing to negotiate. But the europeans are a lot less unwilling to provide iran with such a guarantee. .. "during negotiations on a diplomatic proposal to Iran in spring 2006 … the French, British, and Germans had wanted a formula that would give Iran a new formal status in regional security arrangements, as well as a security guarantee to Iran. But the Bush administration had refused to accept either concession as part of the package." (Gareth Porter ‘Accept Iran's Regional Role, Says French Envoy’ http://www.antiwar.com/porter/?articleid=12314 February 5, 2008).

133. PA Quisling accuses Iran and Syria of helping Palestinian Resistance - February 05, 2008.
"The suicide bombers who carried out Monday's attack in Dimona belonged to Hamas and lived in Hebron. The two, identified as Muhammad Hirbawi and Shadi Zughayar, aged 20, were members of Hamas's armed wing, Izzadin Kassam, the group said in a statement on Tuesday. Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah responded by launching a scathing attack on Hamas, accusing the movement of acting against Palestinian national interests. They also accused Hamas of receiving instructions from Iran and Syria to resume suicide attacks against Israel. "The instructions came from Damascus and the funding from Teheran," a senior PA official told The Jerusalem Post. "They are all determined to undermine the authority of President Mahmoud Abbas and sabotage the peace process."" (Khaled Abu Toameh ‘Hamas claims Dimona bombing; PA implicates Iran and Syria’ http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1202246327136&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull February 05, 2008).

134. Karzai’s Praise for Iran - February 06, 2008.
Since the invasion of afghanistan, western thugs have been wandering around the country bombing and killing afghani civilians at will and attempting to systematically destroy the livelihoods of afghani farmers. As far as karzai is concerned iran is good ally. "On Afghan-Iranian relations, Karzai point-blank said, "We have had a particularly good relationship with Iran the past six years. It's a relationship that I hope will continue. The United States very wisely understood that it was our neighbor and encouraged that relationship ... the United States has been very understanding and supportive that Afghanistan should have a relationship with Iran."" (M K Bhadrakumar ‘Intrigue takes Afghanistan to the brink’ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JB06Df01.html February 06, 2008). Iran is a far better ally for afghanistan than america.

After such statements, rumours have started circulating that america and the west want karzai out of the way. There is even talk about allowing the taliban to share in the government in order for them to help the americans take on iran. But karzai has now reached the point where he wants more political power to reign in the occupiers before they totally decimate his country. "Karzai's refusal to allow the hare-brained American plan to eradicate opium poppies by crop spraying; his warming up to Musharraf; his refusal to review the decision to expel the two EU and UN diplomats, despite heavy diplomatic pressure from London; his insistence on friendly feelings toward Tehran; his spats with Britain; his pouring cold water on the candidacy of Ashdown (knowing full well it was a joint Anglo-American decision at the highest level), surely, a pattern has emerged. Karzai seems to have decided that he won't allow himself to be taken for granted any longer. He feels bitter that he has been used by Western powers and is now being summarily dumped. It shouldn't come entirely as a surprise, therefore, if Karzai too, somewhat like his counterpart in neighboring Pakistan, chooses to drape himself in the Afghan flag and declare unilateral independence. Beyond the call of self-respect or good old-fashioned nationalism, it is also a shrewd survival instinct in challenging Afghan conditions." (M K Bhadrakumar ‘Intrigue takes Afghanistan to the brink’ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JB06Df01.html February 06, 2008).

135. Admiral Michael McConnell seeking to undermine the NIE - February 06, 2008.
"The senior US intelligence official on Tuesday stressed that a recent report on Iran had concluded that Tehran had halted only one part of its alleged nuclear weapons programme. Admiral Michael McConnell, director of national intelligence, said the November national intelligence estimate had concluded that Tehran had ceased only efforts to covertly enrich uranium and design nuclear warheads. "The only thing that they’ve halted was nuclear weapons design, which is probably the least significant part of the programme," he told the Senate intelligence committee. Adm McConnell said Iran continued to develop uranium enrichment technology and longer-range ballistic missiles." (Demetri Sevastopulo ‘Intelligence official revives Iran doubts’ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a1ce672e-d456-11dc-a8c6-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1 February 06, 2008).

136. Satterfield alleges Iranian-backed attacks in Iraq - February 07, 2008.
"Attacks by Iranian-backed groups in Iraq have increased in recent months, a senior U.S. official said Thursday, casting doubt on the view Iran might have reduced its support for violence in the war. David Satterfield, the State Department's Iraq coordinator, said he believed Iran's strategy remained to force the United States to withdraw from Iraq at as high a price as possible. "Iran remains, we believe, determined to pursue its goal of departure of U.S. forces under as difficult circumstances as possible, both as a means of securing its ambitions in Iraq per se as well as projecting through and beyond Iraq its broader regional and ... international ambitions," he said. "Iran remains lethally engaged in terms of providing training and equipment to the most radical and the most violent forces in Iraq. Attacks by those forces continue," he added." (Arshad Mohammed ‘US sees attacks by Iranian-backed groups up in Iraq’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=37510 February 07, 2008).

137. Iran starts to build second Nuclear Power Plant: America insists they can’t have another one - February 07, 2008.
"Iran has started building a second atomic power plant, Iran's Ambassador to Russia Gholamreza Ansari was quoted as saying on Friday by Itar-Tass news agency. "Now we need to think about the fuel for it," Tass quoted him as saying." (‘Iran says starts building new atomic power plant’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=38527 February 08, 2008).

The americans supposedly accept iran’s right to civil nuclear power and are opposed only to its acquisition of nuclear weapons. However, iran’s decision to build another nuclear plant exposes the americans true objective: stopping iran from having any nuclear facilities. "The third-ranking U.S. diplomat said he did not know if a Russian media report that Iran was building a second atomic power plant was true but added: "we would not see any need for Iran to build additional nuclear power plants, not at all."" (Arshad Mohammed ‘U.S. 'deeply disturbed' by Iran nuclear reports’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=39053 February 08, 2008).

138. Radical Politics: Privatization to defeat Global Sanctions - February 10, 2008.
Ever since the concept was first enunciated, privatization has been a right wing tactic to boost the interests of capitalists and the capitalist system. However, in iran’s case the tactic is being used to help the country to fight likudnik inspired sanctions. "Iran’s first investment banks will start operating next month, part of Tehran’s strategy of opening new banking channels but also part of its effort to circumvent US restrictions on its financial sector. The three banks will also play a key role in Iran’s plans to step up aggressively on the privatisation of national industries including steel, banking, shipping, airlines and telecommunications, said Heidari Kord Zangeneh, deputy finance minister and head of the Iranian privatisation organisation. "We are going to activate our private sector and our private banks.in order to fight against these [US] sanctions," Mr Kord Zangeneh told the Financial Times. In the short term, Iran will sell a quarter of the National Copper Industry Company, one of the largest Iranian businesses, through the Malaysian stock exchange within the next two months, a stake that Mr Kord Zangeneh said would raise much more than its current $1.5bn (€1bn, £770m) book value." (Anna Fifield ‘Iran banks seek to sidestep US curbs’ http://fairuse.100webcustomers.com/itsonlyfair/ft002.html February 10, 2008). One wonders how many western multinationals are going to ignore the sale of some of iran’s huge industries and allow their eastern counterparts to acquire even more resources and make even bigger profits.

139. Iran going into Space - February 11, 2008.
"Iran expects to send its first domestically-made research satellite into space next summer, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday, a week after the country's test launch of a rocket sparked international concern. "God willing, next summer the first 100 percent Iranian-made satellite will be positioned in orbit," Ahmadinejad told a rally in Tehran to mark the 29th anniversary of the Islamic revolution." (‘Iran aims for summer satellite launch-Ahmadinejad’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=41272 February 11, 2008).

See also, section 129. Iran launches Rocket into Space - February 04, 2008.

140. Jewish Paranoid barking up the wrong Tree again - February 12, 2008.
"Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Tuesday Iran was still seeking to build nuclear weapons and called for a greater international effort to prevent Tehran from succeeding. "We are certain that the Iranians are engaged in a serious ... clandestine operation to build up a non-conventional capacity," Olmert said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel after a meeting." (Jeffrey Heller ‘Olmert says certain Iran still seeks nuclear arms’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=42806 February 12, 2008).

141. Iran has capacity for building a Nuclear Weapon - February 12, 2008.
As far as the nie is concerned, iran does not have a nuclear weapons programme but, as far as the bush mafia is concerned, it is certainly guilty of having the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. In other words, even though iran refuses to use its capacity to build a nuclear weapon, bush believes that iran still needs to be condemned for merely possessing the capability for acquiring such a weapon. "Iran still possesses the capacity to produce nuclear weapons even though it may have stopped its atomic arms development program, a senior US intelligence official said Wednesday. Thomas Fingar, deputy US director of national intelligence for analysis, told a Congressional hearing that the Islamic republic "continues to develop" capabilities that could be swiftly adopted for production of nuclear weapons. "We judge it has the technical and industrial capability to produce nuclear weapons," he told the House of Representatives armed services committee which held the hearing to make a global security assessment." (‘Iran has capacity to produce nuclear arms: US intelligence’ http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080213/pl_afp/usirannuclearpolitics February 13, 2008).

142. Assassination of Hizbullah Military commander Imad Mugniyah - February 12, 2008.
American/Jewish Terrorists pushed Mugniyah into a life of Resistance.
It is highly likely that imad mugniyah was assassinated by the jews-only state as it has assassinated so many others in lebanon. The assassination provided a huge bonus for the western, zionist dominated, mainstream media to indulge in a range of propaganda smears against hezbollah, syria, and, of course, iran.

Mughniyeh was a young man when the jewish wehrmacht illegally invaded lebanon and started terrorizing innocent lebanese civilians: a military tactic they have repeated periodically ever since. "Born in a south Lebanon village, the son of a vegetable seller, Mughniyeh joined Force 17, Yasser Arafat’s personal bodyguard, when scarcely out of his teens. After the Palestine Liberation Organisation was forced to leave Lebanon in 1982, he stayed behind and joined Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi’ite Islamic group that emerged in 1985 as a militant force resisting Israeli occupation." (Uzi Mahnaim, Hala Jaber, and Jon Swain ‘Israel kills terror chief with headrest bomb’ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article3382343.ece February 17, 2008). I would substitute the word ‘courageous’ for ‘militant’ since the latter term has blatantly negative connotations for people who are legitimately resisting occupation forces. Mughniyeh then helped to provide protection for sheikh mohammed fadlallah, hezbollah’s spiritual leader and it was only after the american/jewish terrorists tried to kill fadlallah with a car bomb that mughniyeh turned to violent resistance. "One challenger was a car-bombing in Beirut right outside a mosque, timed to go off as worshippers were leaving Friday prayers. It killed 80 people and wounded 256. Most of the dead were girls and women, who had been leaving the mosque, though the ferocity of the blast "burned babies in their beds," "killed a bride buying her trousseau," and "blew away three children as they walked home from the mosque." It also "devastated the main street of the densely populated" West Beirut suburb, reported Nora Boustany three years later in the Washington Post. The intended target had been the Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, who escaped. The bombing was carried out by Reagan's CIA and his Saudi allies, with Britain's help, and was specifically authorized by CIA Director William Casey, according to Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward's account in his book Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA, 1981-1987. Little is known beyond the bare facts, thanks to rigorous adherence to the doctrine that we do not investigate our own crimes (unless they become too prominent to suppress, and the inquiry can be limited to some low-level "bad apples" who were naturally "out of control")." (Noam Chomsky ‘The World's Most Wanted’ http://www.antiwar.com/engelhardt/?articleid=12425 February 27, 2008); "Sayed Hussein Fadlallah, the most learned Shiite scholar in Lebanon, the Americans green-lighted a car bomb assassination attempt funded by the Saudis to kill him but only managed to massacre 72 innocent civilians, has both scholar, pupils and cousins in Iraq, one of whom was murdered two years ago." (Robert Fisk ‘Who's running Lebanon?’ http://news.independent.co.uk/world/fisk/article2076121.ece December 15, 2006).

Noam chomsky’s article quoted in the previous paragraph details the diabolical acts of terrorism perpetrated by all sides in lebanon over the last three decades.

Hezbollah, Moqtada al-Sadr, and Iran, pay Tribute to Mugniyah.
"Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who attended the funeral, offered condolences to the family and Mughniyeh's associates. Underlining Iran's close ties to Hezbollah, he sat between Mughniyeh's father and Hezbollah's deputy leader. "He's not the first martyr, nor will he be the last on this path," Mottaki said, reading a statement from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "There will be hundreds and millions more" like him." (Scheherezade Faramarzi ‘Hezbollah chief threatens Israel’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=46651 February 14, 2008); "Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani condemned the United States and Israel for welcoming Mughniyeh's assassination, saying the car bomb that killed him was an act of terrorism. During Friday prayers in Baghdad, Sheikh Suhail al-Eqabi read a statement that was issued Thursday by radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr regarding Mughniyeh's death. "The dirty hands have stretched out to get [Mughniyeh] and he was sent to paradise where he became a martyr of world Islamic resistance," Eqabi said, reading the statement." (‘Syria, Iran and Hizbullah launch probe into Mughniyeh killing’ http://dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=89020 February 16, 2008).

The Accusations against Mughniyeh.
The zionist dominated western media excused mughniyeh’s assassination by seeking to blame him for as many terrorist atrocities as they could plausibly get away with, although it is certain that when the west assassinates another member of hezbollah they will almost certainly blame that person for the same atrocities. "Mughniyeh, Hezbollah's one-time security chief, was a terror icon of the 1980s and 1990s, linked to the killings of hundreds of Americans, French, Jews and Israelis in bombings and airline hijackings over two decades. He had dropped almost completely from sight for close to 15 years, but Western intelligence officials say he remained a significant figure in Hezbollah and continued to be a danger." (Hamza Hendawi ‘Syria may pay price for killing’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=46379 February 14, 2008); "Western terrorism experts say he was the dynamo behind some of Hezbollah’s most lethal operations. These included the bombing of the American embassy in Beirut that killed 63 people and the attacks on the US marine and French paratrooper barracks that left more than 200 dead. It was Mughniyeh’s decision to kidnap Terry Waite, the Church of England envoy, as he tried to broker the release of other captives. Another notorious act attributed to him was the hijacking of a TWA flight when an American passenger, a US navy diver, was shot and his body thrown onto the runway. In the 1990s Israel made him a priority target for his involvement in two attacks in Buenos Aires, the 1992 Israeli embassy bombing, which killed 29, and a 1994 suicide bomb attack on a Jewish community centre, in which 85 died. Then he went to ground. The FBI placed him on its most-wanted list but had to use a 20-year-old photograph for its reward posters." (Uzi Mahnaim, Hala Jaber, and Jon Swain ‘Israel kills terror chief with headrest bomb’ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article3382343.ece February 17, 2008); ‘He was wanted for the bombings of the Israeli embassy and the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires in 1992 and 1994, as well as a wave of abductions of Westerners in Lebanon in the 1980s." (Yoav Stern and Yossi Melman ‘Hezbollah: Mughniyah martyred at hands of 'Zionist Israelis'’ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/953907.html February 14, 2008).

Smearing Syria.
Some zionist commentators took the opportunity provided by this assassination to smear or denounce syria. "Syria was not chosen at random to be the site of Hizbullah military commander Imad Mugniyah assassination, Lt. Colonel (Res.) Moshe Marzouk, senior research fellow at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism said Thursday. "The time, place and manner in which Mugniyah was assassinated sends a very clear message to Syria, a country which harbors and aids terrorist organizations and stands behind many terror attacks, yet denies that it does so," Marzouk said. Marzouk stated that he "congratulates whoever carried out this assassination," and noted that Syria was chosen as the site for Mugniyah’s assassinations as this "links Syria intimately to this arch-terrorist. The way Mugniyah died clearly illustrates the path that both he and Syria chose, and which came back to strike at them both like a boomerang right in the heart of Damascus." While Syria tries to portray itself to the world as a peace-loving, stable country, Marzouk believes that its actions speak otherwise. "Syria is part and parcel of the axis of evil. It doesn’t only aid and harbor terror cells and organizations, but also helps them launch attacks on Israel, Jordan and even Iraq." Marzouk further noted that "Syria allies itself with the most extremist of terror groups, clearly indicating that it does not seek peace or co-existence. These terror groups seek the annihilation of the State of Israel, and will never acknowledge its right to exist."" (Roni Gal ‘Terror expert: Assassination strong message to Syria http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3506963,00.html February 14, 2008). Yes, indeed, and the jews-only state is a western, secular, multi-cultural, law-abiding, democracy.

Smearing Hezbollah.
Other zionist commentators took mugniyah’s assassination as an opportunity to smear or denounce hezbollah. "Hezbollah has retaliated in the past for Israeli attacks. A 1992 car bombing of Israel's Embassy in Argentina came a month to the day after Hezbollah's secretary-general Abbas Mussawi was killed in an Israeli helicopter strike in southern Lebanon. The 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires followed Israel's capture of a senior Hezbollah leader, Mustafa Dirani, and airstrikes on a Hezbollah training camp in Lebanon. Western and Israeli intelligence agencies have accused Mughniyeh and Hezbollah of carrying out those attacks, which killed more than 100 people. Mughniyeh was also believed linked to a 1996 bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 17 Americans. Those were the last attacks outside Israel or Lebanon blamed on Hezbollah, though it denies responsibility." (Scheherezade Faramarzi ‘Hezbollah chief threatens Israel’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=46651 February 14, 2008). According to faramarzi’s extraordinary fantasy, in 1996 hezbollah had an alliance with al quaeda! Hey wait a minute, according to the bush mafia, didn’t saddam also have an alliance with al quaeda? Ipso facto, saddam and hezbollah/iran were also in league with each other and sought to cover it up by engaging in a war with each other that led to a million fatalities.

Smearing Iran: Hyping up the ‘Iranians are Terrorists’ Rationalization for a war against Iran.
Other zionist commentators used mugniyah’s assassination to boost the bush mafia’s propaganda for a war against iran. "Mugniyah was a senior leader in Hezbelloh's militant wing and was believed to have been behind numerous hijackings, bombings and abductions during the 1980s and early 1990s. Mugniyah allegedly played a role in the 1983 bombings of the US Marine and French peacekeeping troops in Beirut that left more than 350 people dead. Mugniyah was listed among the State Department's most wanted terrorists and was believed to have close ties to Iran, which the United States accusing of providing financial support to Hezbollah. Mugniyah was wanted for his suspected role in a number of attacks, including the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires that killed 29 people. He was also suspected in the abduction of Western hostages during Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war." (Death of Hezbollah leader "justice," US says’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=44958 February 13, 2008); "In Washington, the State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Hezbollah's statements were "quite concerning and they should be alarming to everyone." "Quite clearly, Hezbollah has a long record of carrying out violent acts and acts of terrorism around the globe," he said. Some experts suggested that Hezbollah could count on Iran for help on any attacks against Israeli targets." (Scheherezade Faramarzi ‘Hezbollah chief threatens Israel’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=46651 February 14, 2008).

Zionists Hyping up Fear to undermine Jewish Assimilation around the World.
Mugniyah’s assassination provided a great opportunity for the world’s zionists to stoke up fear amongst assimilating jews around the world in order to pressure them to emigrate to the jews-only state in palestine. The zionist state, and its allies in jewish lobbies around the world, are pumping out warnings about a hezbollah retaliation in the hope of convincing assimilated jews that the only country in which they’ll ever feel safe is palestine: where they’d be enlisted in the jewish army to slaughter as many innocent palestinians as possible. "The killing prompted the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, to declare "open war" against Israel, which Hezbollah and Iran accused in the assassination. Israel, which denied any role, went on high alert." (Hussein Dakroub ‘Saudi warnings mark Lebanon jitters’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=52956 February 20, 2008).

Hezbollah promises Retaliation.
When the jews-only state assassinated hezbollah’s first leader abbas al-mussawi, the resistance organization responded immediately by changing its military tactics. "After the murder of the family, Hezbollah "changed the rules of the game," Prime Minister Rabin informed the Israeli Knesset. Previously, no rockets had been launched at Israel. Until then, the rules of the game had been that Israel could launch murderous attacks anywhere in Lebanon at will, and Hezbollah would respond only within Israeli-occupied Lebanese territory. After the murder of its leader (and his family), Hezbollah began to respond to Israeli crimes in Lebanon by rocketing northern Israel." (Noam Chomsky ‘The World's Most Wanted’ http://www.antiwar.com/engelhardt/?articleid=12425 February 27, 2008). It seems nasrallah has now changed hezbollah’s tactics in retaliation for the assassination of mugniyah. "Nasrallah's fiery speech signaled the Iranian-backed Shiite group was ending a years long policy of battling Israel only on Israeli or Lebanese territory, raising the specter of attacks in Western or other countries. Nasrallah accused Israel of taking the fight outside the "natural battlefield" of Israel and Lebanon. "You have crossed the borders," he said. Israel ordered its embassies on high alert and the FBI put U.S. terror squads on guard to protect Jewish institutions after Hezbollah's leader vowed Thursday to retaliate anywhere in the world for the assassination of one of its top commanders. Fearing revenge attacks after Mughniyeh's assassination, Israel ordered its military and embassies overseas on high alert Thursday and recommended Jewish institutions worldwide do the same." (Scheherezade Faramarzi ‘Hezbollah chief threatens Israel’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=46651 February 14, 2008).

If Hezbollah Retaliates the Jews may launch another attack on Lebanon.
"A Hezbollah retaliation would most certainly draw Israel's wrath and risk igniting another war." (Hussein Dakroub ‘Saudi warnings mark Lebanon jitters’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=52956 February 20, 2008).

Uri Avnery believes the Assassination will boomerang on the Jews.
"The classic example is, of course, the "liquidation" of Nasrallah’s predecessor, Abbas Mussawi. He was killed in South Lebanon in 1992 by Apache gunships. All of Israel rejoiced. Then, too, the Champagne was flowing. In revenge, Hizbullah blew up the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, as well as the Jewish community center there. The planner was, it is now alleged, Imad Mughniyeh. More than a hundred people perished. The main result: instead of the rather grey Mussawi, the sophisticated, masterly Nasrallah took over." (Uri Avnery ‘Blood and Champagne’ http://tonykaron.com/2008/02/16/mugniyeh-killing-will-hurt-israel-more-than-hizballah/ February 16, 2008).

143. Iran trying out new Centrifuges - February 13, 2008.
"Iran's new generation of advanced centrifuges have begun processing small quantities of the gas that can be used to make the fissile core of nuclear warheads, diplomats told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The statements shed light on the Islamic Republic's experiments with its domestically developed IR-2 centrifuges, which can churn out enriched uranium at more than double the rate of the older machines that now form the backbone of Tehran's nuclear project. The existence of the IR-2 centrifuges was made known last week by diplomats accredited to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency probing Iran's nuclear program for suspicions it may have been designed to make weapons." (George Jahn ‘Iran puts uranium gas in centrifuges: Diplomats Say Iran Introduces Uranium Gas in New Centrifuges’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=44711 February 13, 2008).

144. Russia repeats negative views about Iran - February 13, 2008.
"Russia warned Iran on Wednesday that its development of rockets and continued uranium enrichment was creating the impression Tehran was intentionally ignoring the concerns of the international community. "We do not approve of Iran's actions in constantly demonstrating its intentions to develop its rocket sector and continue enriching uranium," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian news agencies." (Russia warns Iran on missiles, uranium enrichment’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=44570 February 13, 2008).

145. Olmert orders Merkel to ignore NIE - February 14, 2008.
""I certainly understand the need to step up sanctions on Iran," Merkel told Olmert. "We will support additional sanctions on Iran irrespective of the IAEA report or that of U.S. intelligence." A report in November by U.S. intelligence agencies stated that Iran had ceased its quest for nuclear arms in 2003, an assessment Israel does not accept. The American report has led to confusion in Germany and raised serious debate among defense and political leaders there. Olmert presented the chancellor with Israeli intelligence assessments on Iran's nuclear program." (Barak Ravid ‘Germany aims to up sanctions on Iran, Merkel tells Olmert’ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/953655.html February 14, 2008).

146. Russia to speed up work on Bushehr - February 14, 2008.
"Russia's nuclear constructor Atomstroiexport will nearly double its staff on the construction site of the Bushehr nuclear station Russia is building for Iran, the company's president said late Thursday. "Earlier all our problems stemmed from irregular equipment supplies, now this is no big problem. But the problem of the lack of personnel remains, the deficit of workers is quite significant," Sergei Shmatko said as quoted by the Interfax news agency. The company planned to bring in up to 300 specialists within the next few weeks, and a total of 1,000 before the year was out, nearly doubling the current 1,500 Atomstroiexport staff at the site, Shmatko said." (‘Russia to double Bushehr personnel: official’ http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080215/wl_mideast_afp/russiairannucleareconomy February 14, 2008).

147. Iran’s Economy doing well despite Sanctions - February 17, 2008.
"Iran's foreign debt ratio has declined and its economic growth is expected to increase, the economy minister said yesterday, shrugging off the impact of international sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program. "Sanctions have had no impact on Iran's economic condition," Economy Minister Davoud Danesh-Jafari told Reuters on the sidelines of a meeting of the Islamic Development Bank in Tehran. Analysts say western companies are becoming more wary of investing in Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil exporter, due to perceived political risk and increasing difficulties in securing trade finance as a result of US pressure. The state-dominated Iranian economy is also struggling with double-digit inflation, which critics blame on the government's profligate spending of petrodollars. But Danesh-Jafari painted an upbeat picture of Iran's economy, saying foreign investment hit $10.27 billion last year. "Iran's economy, despite unilateral economic pressure from America, has achieved stable growth ... and it is predicted that Iran's economic growth will increase," he was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency in a speech at the conference. He did not give details about his expectations for economic growth, which reached 6.7 percent year-on-year in the six months to September, according to the central bank." (‘Iran sees higher economic growth despite sanctions’ http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=NTI1NDkwNTg5 February 17, 2008).

See also, ‘Iran’s Economy defying Likudnik Inspired American Sanctions’
http://themundiclub.blogspot.com/2008/03/irans-economy-defying-likudnik-inspired.html

148. American Military still Yapping at Iran - February 17, 2008
"In just the past week, Iraqi and coalition forces captured 212 weapons caches across Iraq, two of those inside Baghdad, (which have) growing links to Iranian-backed special groups," military spokesman Real Admiral Gregory Smith told reporters. The military uses the term "special groups" to describe rogue elements in the Mehdi Army militia of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. It says these militants get weapons, funding and training from neighbouring Iran." (Mohammed Abbas ‘Iran-backed groups using secret arms stores, US’ http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSL171352 February 17, 2008).

149. Bush Regime passes on NIE evidence about Iran’s Nuclear Programme - February 17, 2008
The nie published in december last year was "highly confident" that iran had abandoned its nuclear weapons programme in 2003. America’s intelligence services are now handing over their evidence about this programme to the international atomic energy agency for their analysis. "Iran is not concerned at the decision by the United States to turn over classified nuclear data to the UN nuclear watchdog, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said Sunday. "They should present whatever they have to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the IAEA should decide what to do with it," the spokesman said in his weekly press briefing. The US says its intelligence data proves that Iran was working on an atomic bomb before 2003. "We are sure the Americans have nothing, otherwise they would have already presented (the information) and created a poisonous atmosphere against Iran." Hosseini said. "The Americans are more aware than anybody else that Iran's nuclear programmes are peaceful," the spokesman added. A US National Intelligence Estimate published in December said Iran had stopped its nuclear weapons programme in 2003." (‘Iran not afraid of US turning nuclear data to IAEA, says spokesman’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=48693 February 17, 2008).

150. Iran’s satellite sending back Data - February 17, 2008
What the iranians are trying to say is that this rocket is a satellite not a missile because it is sending back data to iran. "A rocket Iran launched into orbit this month to prepare for putting a domestically made research satellite into space has successfully sent scientific data back to Earth, state media reported on Sunday. Iran, embroiled in a standoff with the West over Tehran's disputed nuclear ambitions, sparked international concern on Feb. 4 by conducting the test of a rocket designed to carry a satellite into space within months. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last week said Iran would carry out two more rocket tests to prepare for the real launch, which he said was expected in a few months." (Iran says test rocket transmits data from orbit’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=49174 February 17, 2008).

151. Iran’s first Oil Bourse: Up and Running? - February 17, 2008
Iran has been working towards the establishment of an oil bourse for many years. During this time many commentators have debated its financial implications for the dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

Establishment of an Oil Products Bourse.
"Iran established its first oil products bourse Sunday in a free trade zone on the Persian Gulf Island of Kish, the country's oil ministry said. A statement posted on the ministry's Web site said 100 tons of polyethylene consignment was traded at the market's opening on the island, which houses the offices of about 100 Iranian and foreign oil companies. Oil and petrochemical products will be traded in Iranian Rials, as well as all other hard currencies, the statement quoted Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari as saying. About 20 brokers are already active in the market, it said. "The bourse provides an economic opportunity for Iranians, other countries and foreign customers," Nozari was quoted as saying. Iran produces more than 20 million tons of petrochemical products per year. Iran has already registered for another oil bourse, in which it has said it hopes to trade oil in Euros instead of dollars, to reduce any American influence over the Islamic Republic's economy. A bourse official, Mahdi Karbasian, told the IRNA official news agency that such an oil market would begin operating within the next year." (‘Iran opens its 1st oil products bourse’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=49231 February 17, 2008); "Transactions at this early stage will be in Iran’s currency, the rial, according to Nozari, ending worldwide speculation that the bourse would start trading in euros. The Iranian ambassador to Russia, Gholam-Reza Ansari, has said that "in the future, we'll be able to use the ruble, Russia’s national currency, in our operations". He added that "Russia and Iran, two major producers of the world’s energy, should encourage oil and gas transactions in various non-dollar currencies, releasing the world from being a slave of the dollar." The opening of the exchange is just what the Iranians are calling the first phase. Ultimately, it is intended that it will compete directly against London’s International Petroleum Exchange (IPE) and the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), both owned by US corporations (since 2001, NYMEX has been owned by a consortium that includes BP, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley). What Iran plans to do in the long run is quite daring: to confront head-on Anglo-American energy/corporate banking domination of the international oil trade. The proposed direction of the bourse was indicated by Mohammad Javed Asemipour, then the executive in charge of establishing the Kish bourse, in 2005. The outline that Asemipour stressed remains unchanged: the exchange would start dealing with petrochemical products, and then with what everybody really craves - light-sulfur Caspian Sea crude. This was not going to be an Iranian-style exchange, but "an international exchange, fully integrated in the world economy". The ultimate goal was very ambitious: the creation of a Persian Gulf benchmark oil price." (Pepe Escobar ‘Slouching towards Petroeurostan’ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/JB21Dj07.html February 21, 2008).

Commentators Views about Iran’s Oil Bourse.
Pepe Escobar.
"It was a discreet, almost hush-hush affair, but after almost three years of stalling and endless delays it finally happened. Now more than ever, it may also signal a geoeconomic earthquake, a potentially shattering blow to US dollar hegemony. The trillion-dollar question is if, and when, most European and Asian oil importers may stampede towards the Iranian oil bourse. OPEC members as well as oil producers from the Caspian may be inevitably seduced by the advantages of selling at Kish - with no dreaded middlemen. Europeans, Chinese and Japanese will also see benefits if they can buy oil with euros, yen or even yuan, they won’t need US dollars, and the same applies to their central banks. It would take only a few major oil exporters to switch from the dollar to the euro, or the yen, to fatally bomb the petrodollar mothership. Venezuela, Norway and Russia are all ready to say goodbye to the petrodollar. France officially supports a stronger role for the euro in international oil trade. The symbolism of the Iranian oil bourse is stark; it shows that the flight from the US dollar is irreversible, and so, sooner rather than later, is diminution of Washington's capacity to launch wars on credit. But at this early stage in the game, only one thing is certain: the empire will strike back." (Pepe Escobar ‘Slouching towards Petroeurostan’ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/JB21Dj07.html February 21, 2008).

Chris Cook.
This is the realist speaking. "Chris Cook, a former director of the London International Petroleum Exchange (IPE) and now a strategic market consultant after being involved from the beginning with the Iranian oil bourse, told Asia Times Online "the trading 'system' is the rudimentary one [not much more than a spreadsheet] used by the Tehran Metal Exchange. As far as we know it is not even web-enabled". Iranian ministers say the bourse will soon be online. According to Cook, "The long and short of it is that the recently launched Iranian oil bourse is an illusion. There is no real interest among the Iranian elite in any further transparency than exists now."" (Pepe Escobar ‘Russia gas pact energizes Iran http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JB27Ak01.html February 27, 2008).

152. Khamenei ‘Nuclear Power is Divine but Nuclear Weapons are not’ - February 17, 2008
"Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday that God would punish Iranians if they do not support the country's disputed nuclear program, state radio reported. "The Iranian people openly announce that they will defend their rights... God will reprimand them if they do not do so," state radio quoted Khamenei as saying. The 68-year-old ayatollah, who has final say on all state matters, said Washington's claim that Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon is false. The Iranian government has long insisted its nuclear activities are only for peaceful generation of fuel. "They know that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon, and they are just trying to block the Iranian nation from achieving advanced technology," Khamenei was quoted as saying in Tehran." (Nasser Karimi ‘Iran says God protects nuclear program’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=49344 February 17, 2008).

153. NIE evidence about Iran’s Nuclear Programme comes straight from the Dodgy Laptop - February 17, 2008.
It was noted in section 149 that the bush regime has sent the nie’s secret intelligence about iran’s nuclear weapons programme (allegedly it had one but abandoned it in 2003) to the iaea. It now appears that this info is just another likudnik fabrication like those used to push the bush mafia into the invasion of iraq. "A new report on Iran by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is about to be released and US "pre-emptive" diplomacy, aimed at preventing an IAEA "clean bill of health" that could derail Washington's effort for a new round of UN sanctions on Iran, is at full throttle, with the timely help of disinformation. Setting the bar unusually high, the US envoy at the IAEA, Gregory Schulte, has warned that unless Iran "confesses" about its "past work on weapons designs and weaponization and the role of the Iranian military", international efforts to resolve the nuclear standoff will be "doomed". Washington's brand new benchmark comes in the wake of a spate of US media reports that the US has "shared new intelligence" with the IAEA that corroborates American allegations of past Iranian nuclear proliferation activities. According to the New York Times, the US decided to "turn over intelligence data" and allow the IAEA privileged access for "divulging confidential information" by reversing "longstanding refusal to show the data, citing the need to protect intelligence sources". But, we learn, the new information pertains to data from the same "stolen laptop" that was the source of the previous information, which was termed unreliable at the time by, among others, David Albright, the president of the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) in Washington." (Kaveh L Afrasiabi ‘Disinformation flies as US raises Iran bar’ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JB21Ak01.html February 21, 2008).

Why did America wait three years before showing the IAEA and Iran the Likudniks’ Dodgy Laptop Data?
"Since 2005, the I.A.E.A. has urged the United States and other countries to allow it to show Iran the evidence obtained on the laptop, which intelligence officials have said once belonged to an Iranian technician with access to the country’s nuclear program. But the United States refused to allow the information to be shown to the Iranians until a few weeks ago. The report says that a week ago the I.A.E.A was given permission to show original documents to the Iranians. In the report issued Friday, the agency described some of that evidence in public for the first time." (David E. Sanger ‘Nuclear Agency Says Iran Has Used New Technology’ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/23/washington/23nuke.html?ex=1361422800&en=10be073df0cee5e9&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all February 23, 2008).

Information concocted by Terrorist Organization.
"Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazee, said the intelligence information turned over to the IAEA was "baseless" and alleged it was fabricated by an Iranian opposition group. "I'm afraid to say that, according to my information, some of these allegations were produced or fabricated by a terrorist group, which are listed as a terrorist group in the United States and somewhere else in Europe," Khazee said told the AP in New York. He appeared to be referring to the Mujahedeen Khalq, also known as the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, which was listed as a foreign terrorist group by the U.S. government in 1997 and the European Union last year." (George Jahn ‘Iran dismisses nuke documents as fakes’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=59856 February 25, 2008).

Once again the Jews are Fabricating Evidence to prevent America from establishing Peace in the Middle East.
The dodgy info is believed to have been compiled by mossad and then fed to the mek to pass on to the bush regime. "The George W. Bush administration has long pushed the "laptop documents", 1,000 pages of technical documents supposedly from a stolen Iranian laptop, as hard evidence of Iranian intentions to build a nuclear weapon. Now charges based on those documents pose the only remaining obstacles to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declaring that Iran has resolved all unanswered questions about its nuclear program. But those documents have long been regarded with great suspicion by US and foreign analysts. German officials have identified the source of the laptop documents in November 2004 as the Mujahideen e Khalq (MEK), which along with its political arm, the National Council of Resistance in Iran (NCRI), is listed by the US State Department as a terrorist organization. There are some indications, moreover, that the MEK obtained the documents not from an Iranian source but from Israel's Mossad. Tehran has denounced the documents on which the charges are based as fabrications provided by the MEK, and has demanded copies of the documents to analyze, but the United States had refused to do so. The Iranian assertion is supported by statements by German officials. A few days after then-Secretary of State Colin Powell announced the laptop documents, Karsten Voight, the coordinator for German-American relations in the German Foreign Ministry, was reported by the Wall Street Journal Nov. 22, 2004 as saying that the information had been provided by "an Iranian dissident group." The German account of the origins of the laptop documents contradicts the insistence by unnamed US intelligence officials who insisted to journalists William J. Broad and David Sanger in November 2005 that the laptop documents did not come from any Iranian resistance groups." (Gareth Porter ‘Iran Nuke Laptop Data Came from Terror Group’ http://www.antiwar.com/porter/?articleid=12443 March 1, 2008).

Just when it seemed the iaea had resolved all the outstanding doubts about iran’s non-existent nuclear weapons programme the americans suddenly release a crock of fabrications in order to maintain their accusations against iran and thus continue threatening the country with military action.

154. Is Iran involved in a Military Build up? - February 18, 2008
"Iran is no threat to the Persian Gulf region, the website of state television network IRIB quoted the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum, as saying in Tehran Monday. "Claims by aliens that Iran is a threat to the region are vague as regional states share a lot of historic and contemporary common grounds," the UAE premier was quoted as saying in a meeting with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He was referring to Western, especially United States, concerns that Iran's military build-up and nuclear programmes would be a threat to the Gulf region and the Middle East." (‘Iran no threat to region, says UAE premier’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=49535 February 18, 2008). "Iran's military build-up and nuclear programmes". Is this a new zionist propaganda ploy or just a sloppy use of words?

155. Traitor tries to push America into another ‘War for the Jews’ - February 19, 2008
"Key US Senator Jon Kyl says Tel Aviv and Washington have differing views only on the precise timing of 'the threat of a nuclear Iran'. Admitting a difference of opinion, the Republican senator from Arizona added that Israel and the US see eye-to-eye on "the fundamental nature of Iran's desire to acquire nuclear weapons, and its ongoing development of fuels for that purpose"." (‘US, Israel on same page over Iran’ http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=43814&sectionid=351020104 February 19, 2008). Jon kyl is a member of the american knesset representing the jewish lobby.

156. Gazprom announces new Oil deal with Iran - February 19, 2008.
Whilst the jewish lobby in america is blocking american multinational corporations from investing in iran’s massive fossil fuel reserves, the russians are moving in to reap the benefits. "Gazprom, the world's biggest gas producer, will play a larger role in developing Iran's giant South Pars gas field and will also drill for oil." (Simon Webb and Amie Ferris-Rotman ‘Russian energy ties with Iran send U.S. a message’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=53864 February 21, 2008). The timing of this announcement may also have conveyed a political message. The previous week, the americans had nurtured kosovo into declaring independence from serbia. Russia objected strongly to this course of action but could do nothing to stop it. So, perhaps it was protesting by announcing a new oil deal with iran. "Russia opposes Kosovo's split from Serbia, which the U.S. has backed. Despite growing clout on the world stage, Moscow has proved powerless to prevent Kosovo announcing its independence this week. "There is probably a political element given what happened last week in Kosovo," said Chris Weafer, chief strategist at UralSib bank. "I would say this investment is in keeping with Gazprom's declared position to become as global as possible but the timing of the announcement clearly has a political message as well."" (Simon Webb and Amie Ferris-Rotman ‘Russian energy ties with Iran send U.S. a message’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=53864 February 21, 2008).

Even worse is that america’s jewish lobby has pushed the bush regime into such hostility against both russia and iran that they’ve encouraged these two countries to establish a gas cartel that will further undermine american interests. ""Gazprom's vulnerability to U.S. sanctions is minimal," Huseynov said. "And if you put sanctions on Gazprom you are basically threatening Europe's energy security and that would strain the relationship with Europe and the United States." Increased coordination between the two countries on investment policy and pricing would also boost the chances of the formation of a gas producers' group resembling the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Huseynov said. Iran has called on Russia to set up such a group, which has caused jitters in top customers and politicians in Europe." (Simon Webb and Amie Ferris-Rotman ‘Russian energy ties with Iran send U.S. a message’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=53864 February 21, 2008).

157. Ahmadinejad argues the Jews-only State an American Rottweiller - February 20, 2008.
Oh dear it seems as if chomsky, zunes, and the other neo-lefties, have even gotten to ahmadinejad. "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday called Israel a "dirty microbe" and "savage animal", as Iran stepped up its rhetoric against the Jewish state after the murder of a top Hezbollah commander. "World powers have created a black and dirty microbe named the Zionist regime and have unleashed it like a savage animal on the nations of the region," Ahmadinejad told a rally in the southern city of Bandar Abbas broadcast on state television. "They (Israel) assassinate pure and pious people and then they celebrate it, like what happened to the son of Lebanon who had stood against the savage onslaught of the Zionists and broke the Zionists' horns," said Ahmadinejad. He also accused world powers of establishing Israel to create a "scarecrow" to frighten and dominate other nations in the region." (Hiedeh Farmani ‘Ahmadinejad in new attack on 'savage animal' Israel’ http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080220/wl_afp/mideastiranisraelconflictpolitics February 20, 2008).

158. Jews send out delegations to push for UN Sanctions on Iran - February 20, 2008
"Some 15 Knesset members from a broad spectrum of parties will soon embark on a tour of Europe and the Far East to explain the dangers of Iran's nuclear program and urge that sanctions against the Islamic Republic be intensified. Israel's stepped-up lobbying effort is in part a response to the release by the United States late last year of a new National Intelligence Estimate, which claimed that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program. The decision to recruit MKs to help out was made by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik and Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chair Tzachi Hanegbi. The first group of legislators will hold a round of meetings in Europe this week." (Barak Ravid ‘MKs to fan out globally to warn of Iran threat’ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/956000.html February 20, 2008).

159. New Timetable for UN Sanctions - February 20, 2008
After all the publicity over the last few weeks about america pushing through a third round of un sanctions against iran, the latest press report suggests that such sanctions are not imminent. "Sometime in March, the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency will meet for another discussion of Iran's nuclear program, and a few weeks later, the Security Council will meet to discuss a third round of sanctions against Tehran, in light of its continued defiance of the council's demand that it cease enriching uranium. Therefore, the next few weeks are critical in drumming up support for harsher sanctions." (Barak Ravid ‘MKs to fan out globally to warn of Iran threat’ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/956000.html February 20, 2008).

160. Ahmadinejad’s Statesman-like opposition to Injustice - February 20, 2008
"In a typically defiant speech as the International Atomic Energy Agency prepared to issue a report on Iran this week, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran would ignore calls by major powers to halt sensitive nuclear work that has led to two rounds of UN sanctions. "The Iranian nation will not allow any power to trample even on its smallest [national] right," he said in a televised speech to a rally in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. "The Iranian nation's will to continue nuclear work has won over the will of big powers ... [and] brought them to their knees," the president said, to chants by those in the crowd of "Death to America" and "Nuclear energy is our obvious right"." (Barak Ravid ‘MKs to fan out globally to warn of Iran threat’ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/956000.html February 20, 2008). The zionist dominated western media immediately provided the following ‘translation’ of ahmadinejad’s statement. "The Iranian nation's nuclear weapons will soon be completed and attacks on america and western europe will commence [that will bring] them to their knees."

161. New UN Resolution Ready - February 21, 2008.
"The UN Security Council received Thursday a draft resolution spelling out additional sanctions against Iran for defying international demands to abandon its nuclear programmes, diplomats said." (‘Draft on new sanctions against Iran given to UN council’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=54867 February 21, 2008). Given american threats to attack iran it should not be surprising that the sanctions have been designed not merely to block iran’s nuclear developments but its opportunities for importing weapons and munitions in order to defend itself from attack. "Currently Iran is under an embargo on exports of arms and related material, which ordered UN members not to sell or transfer to Iran battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, warships, missiles or missile systems and attack helicopters." (‘Draft on new sanctions against Iran given to UN council’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=54867 February 21, 2008). Personally, I’m very pleased about this. All militaries around the world want their shiny toys but if iranians were ever to use these toys against the american military in a war they would be slaughtered as easily as saddam’s army.

162. Jewish Chutzpah Supremo demanding action on Iran’s non-existent Nukes! - February 22, 2008.
The jews-only state pretends that it doesn’t have nuclear weapons but is insisting on the un imposing sanctions on a country which it pretends has nuclear weapons but doesn’t. "Israel will seek to call a session of the United Nations Security Council to demand the tightening of sanctions against Iran, Ynet learned on Thursday. The request to convene the council will be made after the release of an additional report on Tehran's nuclear program authored by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Dr. Mohammad ElBaradei. A senior State official told Ynet that the report is expected to see light this coming weekend or early next week. "We hope the IAEA is aware of the price the entire world may end up paying for its lenient approach towards Iran," said the official. "Israel believes that there is an urgent need for a third round of sanctions against Iran, and it has directed its actions in accordance with this belief for the past several months. The UN Security Council must be convened as soon as possible so that such sanctions will be authorized."" (Roni Sofer ‘State official: Act against Tehran before it's too late’ http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3509836,00.html February 22, 2008).

163. Jewish Chutzpah Supremo insists Japan now under Threat - February 22, 2008.
Hysterical, paranoid, jewish warmongers are even telling the japanese that they’re also threatened by iran’s non-existent nukes. "Meanwhile Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to leave for Japan on Sunday, where he will update top officials, as well as Emperor Akihito, on the Iranian threat. According to intelligence information gathered by Israel, Iran is pursuing military nuclear capabilities, despite the Islamic Republic's claim that it is seeking nuclear power for civilian purposes only. Olmert is expected to tell the Japanese that Iran is developing missiles capable of reaching every country in the world and is also working to enrich uranium." (Roni Sofer ‘State official: Act against Tehran before it's too late’ http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3509836,00.html February 22, 2008). The leaders of the jews-only state may be insane but why does the western world continue to pander to their delusions?

164. IAEA publishes Report on Iran - February 22, 2008.
Jews provide evidence to Terrorists to Manipulate America into a War against Iran.
"On the eve of what is expected to be the issuance of the final IAEA report on that resolution, the National Council of Resistance on Iran, the "political arm" of a U.S. State Department designated "terrorist organization", has gone public with highly inflammatory charges that Iran (a) has recently established a "new command and control center" at a military site at Mojdeh, a suburb of Tehran, for a program code-named Lavizan-2, and (b) is actively pursuing "production of nuclear warheads" at a military site at Khojir, code-named B1-Nori-8500. There has been speculation that this NCRI intelligence originated with the Israelis, was then supplied, last year, to the United States, who, last month, supplied it to the IAEA, urging the IAEA to present it to Iran for "explanation." Moreover, it sounds like the latest NCRI "intelligence" is, as was virtually all "information" contained on a "stolen Iranian laptop computer," which U.S. intelligence somehow obtained and revealed to ElBaradei and senior Secretariat staff in the summer of 2005, related not to nuclear weapons, but to ballistic-missile re-entry vehicles." (Gordon Prather ‘Nukes and Rumors of Nukes’ http://www.antiwar.com/prather/?articleid=12410 February 23, 2008).

Report’s Findings.
"The full text of the much awaited IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear activities … is an important report that finally brings an end to almost all the technical issues that in the past five years have concerned the IAEA regarding Iran’s declared civilian nuclear program. In this report the Agency once again states unambiguously that it "has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran." (Farideh Farhi ‘IAEA’s Latest Report on Iran: Time to Move On’ http://icga.blogspot.com/2008/02/iaeas-latest-report-on-iran-time-to.html February 22, 2008); "So, what does ElBaradei have to say about the Iranian NPT Safeguards Agreement? "The Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran. Iran has provided the Agency with access to declared nuclear material and has provided the required nuclear material accountancy reports in connection with declared nuclear material and activities." " (Gordon Prather ‘Iran’s Sisyphean Task’ http://www.antiwar.com/prather/?articleid=12448 March 1, 2008).

Media’s Treatment of Report’s Findings.
They’re still Guilty as Hell.
"The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Friday it confronted Iran for the first time with Western intelligence reports showing work linked to making atomic bombs and that Tehran had failed to provide satisfactory answers. The United States passed the intelligence, which came mainly from a laptop spirited out of Iran, to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2005 but out of fear for its spies only authorised the IAEA to present it last month, diplomats said. The IAEA said Iran had dismissed the intelligence as "baseless" or "fabricated", but had provided increased cooperation on other issues in the past few months." (Mark Heinrich ‘Iran fails to answer weapons questions, UN body’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=56606 February 22, 2008).

Bush Mafia’s exploitation of Report’s Findings.
"Kate Starr, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, said based on a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United States was "disappointed" with Iran's failure to fully comply with its obligations and would continue a push for further U.N. sanctions." (‘US: "No confidence" Iran's nuclear program peaceful’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=56185 February 22, 2008).

Iran claims all nuclear issues resolved.
"Following the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there would be no legal basis for imposing a new United Nations Security Council against Iran, a senior Iranian official said Saturday. "The IAEA report showed that all outstanding issues over Iran's nuclear programmes have been settled and there is no reason to keep the Iranian dossier at the UN Security Council," deputy chief nuclear negotiator Javad Vaeidi told Al-Alam news network. "At least after the IAEA report, everybody is aware of the fact that if the UN Security Council issued another resolution, such a resolution would have no legal and technical basis," he added in the interview." (Tehran: No legal basis for another UN resolution after IAEA report’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=56996 February 23, 2008).

Commentators’ Views.
Kaveh L Afrasiabi.
"The United States' push for a new round of United Nations sanctions on Iran has met a formidable obstacle in the form of a new Iran report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and it is clear by now that the sooner the UN Security Council washes its hands of the Iran nuclear dossier, the better. In a tone reminiscent of the Iraq fiasco, when Saddam Hussein was pressed to "prove the negative" over alleged weapons of mass destruction, ElBaradei's report sets the bar artificially very high by stating that for the agency to have confidence about Iran's nuclear program, it should "be able to provide assurances not only regarding declared nuclear material, but, equally importantly, regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran"." (Kaveh L Afrasiabi ‘Iran can't shake the sanctions shackle’ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JB26Ak03.html February 26, 2008).

165. Zionists’ French Allies flying the Flag in the Gulf - February 23, 2008.
"French armed forces will take part in large-scale war games in the Gulf next week, underlining France's growing military presence in the region amid heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions. France will deploy 1,500 personnel, two frigates and eight Mirage fighter jets to the defence exercises, held in conjunction with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Paris has long-standing defence co-operation agreements with the two countries and is one of their biggest suppliers of arms. But its involvement in the joint manoeuvres, codenamed Gulf Shield, follows President Nicolas Sarkozy's announcement last month of a permanent French base in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital. The base will give France its first permanent foothold in the Gulf, across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, and will send a signal to Tehran that Paris is determined to protect its strategic interests in the region." (Ben Hall and Simeon Kerr ‘Iran bristles as French forces head for war games in the Gulf’ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/285c3bee-e1b4-11dc-a302-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1 February 23 2008). Quite what interests france has to protect in the gulf is not clear but for the zionist occupied french government it is imperative to boost jewish supremacism in the middle east.

166. Russia to support Sanctions - February 27, 2008.
"Russia warned Iran on Wednesday that it would support a new set of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear programme unless Tehran stopped uranium enrichment in the next few days. Russia's U.N. envoy Vitaly Churkin said Moscow could back a sanctions resolution the Western powers have drafted and which they are seeking to discuss in the Security Council this week. "If Iran in the next few days does not stop the enrichment activities of its heavy water project then yes, Russia ... has taken upon itself certain commitments... to support the resolution that has been drafted in the past month," Churkin told reporters via a video link from New York." (‘Russia warns Iran it may back UN sanctions’ http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=62323 February 27, 2008).