27/12/07

Iran says Russia to supply new air defence system
by Staff Writers
Tehran (AFP) Dec 26, 2007
Iran announced on Wednesday it is to receive S-300 air missile defence systems from Russia, a move that risks angering the United States which has been critical of past arms sales to Tehran.
www.spacewar.com/reports/Iran_says_Russia
_to_supply_new_air_defence_system_999.html

Iran’s first home-built nuclear plant ready in 9 years: MP
Tehran (AFP) Dec 24, 2007 – Iran’s first home-built nuclear power plant is scheduled to come online in around nine years, a top MP said on Monday, citing a report by the Iranian atomic energy organisation. A Russian contractor is building Iran’s first atomic power plant in the southern city of Bushehr but the 360 megawatt plant in Darkhoyen in the western Khuzestan province would be its first using domestic technology.
www.energy-daily.com/reports/Irans_first_home
-built_nuclear_plant_ready_in_9_years_MP_999.html

Iran warns Iraq on Algiers accord
Arab Times – Kuwait
… ties to the battle of Fallujah in 2004, and was a close contact of the former al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,” the statement said. …
www.arabtimesonline.com/client/pages
details.asp?nid=9954&ccid=11

Iran Jewish leader calls recent mass aliyah ’misinformation’ bid
Anshel Pfeffer, and The Associated Press, Ha’aretz 12/27/2007
A top Iranian Jewish community leader on Wednesday described the recent immigration of 40 Iranian Jews to Israel as a misinformation campaign and insisted that Jews living in the Islamic Republic were not in danger under hard-line policies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. A group of 40 Iranian Jews landed in Israel on Tuesday, the largest since the fall of the Shah and Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979. The immigrants, from Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan, each received a $10,000 grant from international Jewish organizations. No details about their route of exit from Iran were given, but it was assumed they came through a third country. A total of 200 Iranian Jews have immigrated to Israel in 2007, compared to only 65 in 2006. Ciamak Morsathegh, who heads the Tehran Jewish Committee, claimed Wednesday that the immigrants…
www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=938673

Iranian Jews: Reports of Iranians immigrating to Israel an ’outright lie’
Dudi Cohen, YNetNews 12/26/2007
After 40 new Iranian immigrants arrive in Israel, Jewish community head in Iran tells reporters that Iranian Jews remain tied to their homeland – Representatives of the Jewish Community in Iran said Wednesday that Iranian Jews have never taken steps to emigrate because of the good living standards enjoyed by religious minorities in Iran and their common cultural roots. In a communiqué published a day after news of 40 Iranian Jewish immigrants landing in Israel, Jewish community leaders Maurice Mo’atamad and Ciamak Morsathegh wrote that “the report that was published regarding the Iranian Jewish community by the foreign news agencies is an outright lie.” Jewish representative in the Iranian Parliament, Mo’atamed, and President of Tehran’s Jewish community Mareh-Sadegh, continued: “The massive propaganda issued by the enemies of the Iranian people and the Jews…
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3487120,00.html

26/12/07

Manufacturing Threats
Sudan, Iran, And The War For Civilisation
By David Edwards
News that British schoolteacher Gillian Gibbons had been jailed in Sudan after allowing her pupils to call a teddy bear Mohammed fed straight into the UK media’s hate factory and its “war for civilisation”.
www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18952.htm

Israeli experts say force against Iran is still an option :
Force remains an option of last resort should Israel eventually conclude that the weapons threshold is about to be crossed, according to Israeli experts and former intelligence officials.
snipurl.com/1vum9
 
U.S. report on Iran forces Israel to alter strategy :
In the wake of the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate’s finding that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, Israel must prove Iran is cheating without being accused of trying to push the United States into war.
snipurl.com/1vumb
 
Iran to get missile system from Russia – report:
Russia has agreed to sell an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Iran, Iran’s defence minister was quoted as saying on Wednesday, a report likely to irritate the United States.
snipurl.com/1vumc
 
Iran announces arms deal with Russia:
Military experts said that the S-300 missile systems could inflict a significant damage to the US or Israeli forces if they were to attack Iran.
snipurl.com/1vumd
 
Iranian Jewish leader calls immigration of 40 Jews to Israel a ‘misinformation campaign’:
The 40 Iranians landed in Israel on Tuesday after a secret journey to the Jewish state. No details about their route of exit from Iran were given, but it was assumed they came through a third country.
snipurl.com/1vume
 
Iranian Jews: Reports of Iranians immigrating to Israel an ‘outright lie’:
After 40 new Iranian immigrants arrive in Israel, Jewish community head in Iran tells reporters that Iranian Jews remain tied to their homeland
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3487120,00.html

Russia deepens military ties with Iran 27 Dec 2007 Russia is to supply Iran with new S-300 air defence systems, Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said, a sign of growing military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.
www.smh.com.au/news/world/russia-deepens-military
-ties-with-iran/2007/12/27/1198345111754.html

Ex-CIA official: Israel will attack Iran on its own 21 Dec 2007 “I came back from a trip to Israel in November convinced that Israel would attack Iran,” Bruce Riedel, a former CIA official and senior adviser to three US presidents, George W. Bush among them [sic], told Newsweek magazine in an article published Friday. Citing conversations he had in Israel with officials in Mossad and the Israeli defense establishment, Riedel concluded that “Israel is not going to allow its nuclear monopoly to be threatened.”
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=119684739826
5&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Will Canada go to War with Iran Next?
by C. L. Cook
The Canadian Broadcast Corporation is reporting today comments made by Defence Minister Peter Mackay charging Iran is responsible for arming Taliban elements of the Afghani resistance. It is, the CBC says, the first time Canadian officials have made such allegations publicly.
feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AtlanticF
reePress/~3/206420255/index.php

Iran Fears Lebanon Talks Could face ‘Explosive Situation’
Naharnet – Beirut,Lebanon
… official news agency, IRNA, in response to a question on his viewpoint regarding France’s and Washington’s positions vis-à-vis the Lebanon situation. …
www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/0/F4
575C30390AA856C22573BD0033F79F?OpenDocument

India waits for Iran, Pakistan
Tehran Times – Iran
NEW DELHI (IANS) — Pakistan and Iran are yet to confirm their participation in the Indian Navy’s pioneering initiative, a 31-nation regional conclave which …
www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=159997

US Officials Differ Over Iran
Wall Street Journal – USA
By YOCHI J. DREAZEN and JAY SOLOMON WASHINGTON — The Pentagon and State Department, long divided over the conduct of the Iraq war and reconstruction there, …
online.wsj.com/article/SB11986299694
7649885.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

MK Sneh: More funds needed to counter Iranian threat
Amnon Meranda, YNetNews 12/25/2007
Former deputy defense minister tells reporters he plans to vote against State Budget, which he says does not answer Israel’s defense needs – Knesset Member Ephraim Sneh, a former deputy defense minister, said that he planned to vote against the State Budget proposal for the first time since becoming a member of the coalition a decade ago during a press conference on Tuesday. The Labor MK expressed his concern for the future protection of the home front, saying “there is no budget for supplying gas masks (to Israel’s citizens), and I fear that their production will be stopped entirely in the beginning of 2008.” According to him, the budget does provide for the protection of Israeli communities in close proximity to Gaza Strip from rocket attacks and “millions of shekels required for minimal IDF activity are missing from it.
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3486553,00.html

40 Iranian Jews arrive in Israel, largest group since 1979 revolution
Anshel Pfeffer, Ha’aretz 12/26/2007
A group of 40 new immigrants from Iran touched down at Ben-Gurion International Airport yesterday, the largest since the fall of the Shah and Iran’s Islamic revolution in 1979. The immigrants, from Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan, each received a $10,000 grant from international Jewish organizations. Relatives screamed in delight and threw candy at the newcomers as they emerged into the airport reception hall after a long bureaucratic procedure. Two brothers, Yosef and Michael, said they were glad to be in Israel. They declined to give their family name in order to protect relatives. “I feel so good,” said Yosef, 16. “I just saw all of my family. You can’t put that into words.” Michael, 15, said he told all his friends where he was going, and they wanted to come along. “I was scared in Iran as a Jew,” he said.
www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=938337

25/12/07

US institute: Israel could survive nuclear war 24 Dec 2007 If a nuclear war between Israel and Iran were to break out 16-20 million Iranians would lose their lives – as opposed to 200,000-800,000 Israelis, according to a report recently published by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which is headed by Anthony H. Cordesman, formerly an analyst for the US Department of Defense.
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=119684741668
8&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Manufacturing Consent For War With Iran::
Israel Wins “Nuke” War: —
A doomsday war between nuclear-armed adversaries Iran and Israel would kill up to 28 million Iranians and destroy their nation, but the Jewish state might survive, according to a prestigious US think tank.
snipurl.com/1vsyr

Iran firm on U.S. talks, 19 atomic plants planned:
Iran said on Monday it rejected any preconditions for talks with the United States, which suspects it wants an atomic bomb, and a member of parliament was quoted as saying Tehran planned 19 nuclear power plants.
snipurl.com/1vsyz

Jim Lobe: Monroe Doctrine Under Siege by Iranians:
“There is nothing left to the Monroe Doctrine.,” lamented Chang, suggesting that the Bush administration is “abandon[ing] Latin America to Iran and that country’s terrorist allies”
www.ips.org/blog/jimlobe/?p=88

Hosseini comments on situation in Lebanon
Islamic Republic News Agency – Tehran,Iran
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini on Tuesday commented on latest developments in Lebanon and the reported visit to Iran of French President …
www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0712257463150939.htm

Ghosts of Iranian Terror Past & Future
By Aaron Mannes
Israeli intelligence has noted that Iranian Embassies are in Venezuela and Nicaragua have over 30 staffers each – far out of proportion to the scale of relations between these countries – and is expanding its diplomatic presence …
counterterrorismblog.org/2007/12/ghosts_of_iranian_terror_past.php

Halliburton Charged with Selling Nuclear Technologies to Iran
By Tyrone(Tyrone)
According to journalist Jason Leopold, sources at former Cheney company Halliburton allege that, as recently as January of 2005, Halliburton sold key components for a nuclear reactor to an Iranian oil development company. …
arunachala1008.blogspot.com/2007/12/
halliburton-charged-with-selling.html

24/12/07

Iran reacts to NIE report
Pepe Escobar: Can the US accept Iran as a regional power? view video
whatcounts.com/t?r=1664&c=884927&l=36235&ctl=1625C
90:5F203ADDA66F317ED8BF7EBB7B4F9429EDC3615173C7E546&

Iraqi officials: Iran wants ambassadorial-level talks with US over …
Jerusalem Post – Israel
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to Iraq the day the meeting was to have occurred. Since then, top Iranian officials in Iraq …
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=11968474200
95&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Iran to seek bids for 19 atomic power plants: MP 24 Dec 2007 Iran said on Monday it rejected any preconditions for talks with the United States, which suspects it wants an atomic bomb, and a member of parliament was quoted as saying Tehran planned 19 nuclear power plants.
news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071224/ts_nm/iran_nuclear_plants_dc_2

Ron Paul on North Korea, Iran, and Israel
By jiminturkey@gmail.com(jiminturkey@gmail.com)
This weekendamp;#39;s Meet the Press gave Ron Paulamp;nbsp;the Russert treatment. I canamp;#39;t help but suspect that the ultimate Inside the Beltway… . . .
campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2I0ZD
EyYzQ0MDM1NDcwZWVhMmM5OThlMjhlOTJiZDc=

Rice: Enmity With N Korea, Iran, Syria Need Not Be Permanent
SecState Rice left open the prospect of better relations with US adversaries N Korea, Iran and Syria before the end of the Bush administration.
www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/
news/2007/12/mil-071221-voa06.htm

23/12/07

Iran Cited In Iraq’s Decline in Violence
Order From Tehran Reined In Militias, U.S. Official Says
Karen DeYoung, Washington Post Staff Writer
The Iranian government has decided “at the most senior levels” to rein in the violent Shiite militias it supports in Iraq, a move reflected in a sharp decrease in sophisticated roadside bomb attacks over the past several months, according to the State Department’s top official on Iraq. Tehran’s decision does not necessarily mean the flow of those weapons from Iran has stopped, but the decline in their use and in overall attacks “has to be attributed to an Iranian policy decision,” David M. Satterfield, Iraq coordinator and senior adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, said in an interview….
www.uruknet.de/?p=39488

Israeli delegation heads to U.S. to argue Iran still seeking nuclear arms:
Israel has dispatched an unscheduled delegation of intelligence officials to the U.S. to try to convince it that Iran is still trying to develop nuclear weapons – contrary to the findings of a recent U.S. intelligence report, security officials said.
snipurl.com/1vqww
 
Israel preparing public for war :
Israel’s Home Front Command is preparing the public for possible war scenarios.
www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/106050.html

Iran ‘restraining Shia militias in Iraq’ 23 Dec 2007 Iran has decided “at the most senior levels” to restrain Shia militias in Iraq, causing a sharp drop in roadside bomb attacks in recent months, according to a senior US diplomat.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2007/12/23/wiran123.xml

Iran Cited In Iraq’s Decline in Violence —Order From Tehran Reined In Militias, U.S. Official Says 23 Dec 2007 The Iranian government has decided “at the most senior levels” to rein in the violent Shiite militias it Blackwater supports in Iraq, a move reflected in a sharp decrease in sophisticated roadside bomb attacks over the past several months, according to the State Department’s top official on Iraq.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/
article/2007/12/22/AR2007122201847.html