Israel 'Preparing To Handle' Nuclear Iran

Israel 'preparing to handle' nuclear Iran

http://www.jnewswire.com/library/art...?articleid=888

By Stan Goodenough
December 2nd, 2005

The Jewish State of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran inched closer to conflict Thursday with a declaration by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that Tehran’s progress towards acquiring a nuclear bomb was unacceptable to Israel.

Islamic eschatology holds that the Muslim world will destroy Israel and all Jews everywhere before “judgment day” arrives. According to the Koran, it is the duty of all good Muslims to participate in the eradication of the Jews.

While the Arab states have not had nuclear weaponry to deploy against Israel, Iran has been defiantly working on its program, dismissing concerns and warnings from other nations and claiming that it was only pursuing nuclear power for peaceful purposes.

Addressing a gathering of news editors in Tel Aviv Thursday, Sharon said Israel “cannot accept a situation where Iran has nuclear arms.”

The prime minister was speaking a day after his Military Intelligence chief advised the government that if anything was to be done to stop the Iranians, it would have to happen before next March, or would be too late.

Sharon said the Iranian threat would not only affect Israel, but the entire Middle East along with numerous other countries. He appealed to all nations that understand “this grave danger” to join the efforts to contain it.

The Israeli said his country should not lead these efforts as they were already being spearheaded by the United States.

While the West was able to deal with Iran militarily, however, other channels should be exhausted before that option was resorted to.

Iran has reacted with fury on previous occasions when Israel has discussed the need to prevent it from going nuclear.

Russia: Weapons supplied to Iran for defensive purposes only
Haaretz

All Russian weaponry supplied to Iran is purely for defensive purpose, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday, responding to news reports that Moscow was selling more than $1 billion worth of missiles and other defense systems to Tehran.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kaminin did not comment on any specifics of weapons deals, saying in a statement only that they were "exclusively defensive weapons."

"All contracts concluded in the military-technical cooperation area fully comply with our international commitments, including in the sphere of nonproliferation, and are in full compliance with Russian law," he said, according to the statement.

The statement appeared to be timed to head off the expected heated reaction from the United States following reports in Russian media Friday that Russian and Iranian officials had signed contracts in November that would send up to 30 Tor-M1 missile systems to Iran over the next two years.

Interfax said the Tor-M1 system could identify up to 48 targets and fire at two targets simultaneously at a height of up to 6,100 meters.

Israel completes successful test of anti-missile system
Israel carried out a successful test of its Arrow anti-missile system Friday morning, which Defense Ministry officials called a response to the increasing threat of ballistic missiles in the region.

The test launch came as a Russian newspaper reported that Iran has signed a deal to buy Russian tactical surface-to-air missile systems. The reports comes one day after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned of the dangers of a nuclear Iran.

"The success of the test will improve the operational capabilities that already exist today in the Arrow system, which will be able to successfully cope with future threats," said Defense Ministry director general Yaakov Toran.

The simulated enemy missile used in the test resembles the Iranian Shahab-3 and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The test enemy missile was fired from an airplane over the Mediterranean Sea, from the west. The Arrow anti-missile missile was fired at 10:28 A.M. from an Israel Air Force base in the center of the country, and hit the target.

Friday's test is the 14th test of the Arrow system, which is being developed with the United States, and the ninth test of the missile itself.

Foreign Ministry condemns missile deal with Tehran
Also Friday the Foreign Ministry condemned an agreement reported by a Russian newspaper on a missile transaction between Moscow and Iran.

"The regime in Iran is extreme, supports radical terrorist groups and has articulated only recently its opposition to peace and reconciliation in the Middle East," spokesman Mark Regev said.

"When a country hopes to strengthen the military potential of Iran, they are serving to strengthen the most negative elements in the region," he added.

The Russian Vedomosti daily reported Friday that Iran is to buy 29 TOR-M1 systems, designed to bring down aircraft and guided missiles at low altitudes, citing Russian defense sources close to the deal.

The deal is the biggest sale of Russian defense hardware to Iran for about five years, the newspaper said. It did not say how much the order was worth.

Russian defense industry officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

The United States said Friday it was looking into reports that Russia and Iran had signed an agreement for Russia to provide Tor M-1 air defense systems to Iran.

The newspaper cited an unidentified manager at a military-industrial enterprise.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said "we are at this point evaluating these reports" and that he could not validate them.

Tehran is under intense international pressure after failing to convince the United States and others its nuclear scientists are working on fuel for power stations rather than bombs.

Russia is helping Iran build a nuclear power station at Bushehr.

Sharon: A nuclear Iran endangers many countries
Sharon said Thursday that Israel is watching with growing concern Iran's efforts to achieve nuclear capabilities, and that Israel cannot accept the current situation.

However, Sharon added that "Israel is not spearheading the international struggle against Iran's nuclear arming," although he said it is working with the countries that are at the forefront.

The danger posed by Iran "does not relate only to Israel," Sharon told the editors convention at Sokolov House in Tel Aviv. "It puts at risk Israel, Middle Eastern countries and many other countries around the world. Therefore the efforts led by the U.S. today must include free countries that understand this grave danger."

Earlier this week, Military Intelligence chief Major General Aharon Ze'evi (Farkash) said diplomacy would have failed if Iran was still working on producing nuclear weapons by March.

"If by the end of March 2006, the international community does not manage to use diplomatic means to block Iran's effort to produce a nuclear bomb, there will no longer be any reason to continue diplomatic activity in this field, and it will be possible to say that the international attempts to thwart [Iran's efforts] have failed," Ze'evi told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Several MKs said they thought Ze'evi was saying military efforts would become necessary by April.

"The comments by the head of Military Intelligence convey a harsh, worrying and dark picture," said committee chairman MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud). "Iran is going to become a nuclear power in the region and the world is helpless."

Israel scorns Iran nuclear talks
BBC

Israel's military chief says he doubts diplomatic efforts will prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Lt-Gen Dan Halutz said Iran had managed to fend off international pressure "time after time".

Gen Halutz said there were military options available to block Iran's nuclear project, but that these were not being considered yet.

Some Western countries suspect Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons, but Tehran says its programme is peaceful.

It says it has the right to enrich uranium and use it to generate energy.

However, enriched uranium can also be used in nuclear bombs.

Iranians 'determined'

The EU, with the backing of the US, has been leading efforts to persuade Iran to give up its enrichment attempts.

However, they have not yet roused enough international support to take the matter to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

"The fact that the Iranians are successful time after time in getting away from international pressure... encourages them to continue their nuclear project," Gen Halutz said.

"I believe that the political means that are being used by the Europeans and the Americans to convince the Iranians to stop will not end in stopping them."

"The Iranians are determined to get a nuclear capability. From Israel's viewpoint such a situation is unacceptable."

There are military options to deal with Iran, he said, but those "alternatives are not being considered yet".

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon repeated that Israel would not allow Iran to become nuclear-armed.

"I hope that Iran will be brought soon before the Security Council and sanctions will be imposed against her so that the nuclear process will stop," he said.

He said Israel was a "partner" in attempts to block Iran's programme, but was not leading them.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said on Sunday he believed a resumption of talks with the EU - suspended when Iran restarted uranium conversion in August - could yield "important results".

But he rejected the notion of direct talks with the US.

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Netanyahu: Bold action needed to stop nuclear Iran (Translation: Bomb them now!)
Haaretz

MK Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) said Sunday that Israel should take "bold and daring" action to thwart Iran's plans for nuclear armament, citing Israel's 1981 air strike on an Iraqi nuclear facility.

"The Iranian threat is an existential one, as it is a country that declared its plans to destroy Israel and is developing the tools to carry out this destruction. In this regard, I will continue the legacy of Menachem Begin, who thwarted Iran's neighbor, Iraq, from acquiring nuclear weapons by adopting bold and daring measures. I believe that is what Israel needs to do," Netanyahu told Israel Radio.

In 1981, Begin ordered an air strike on Iraq's nuclear facility in Osirak, near Baghdad. As a result of the attack, Iraq's nuclear armament plan was thwarted.

Netanyahu said he has stated, in various forums, that everything possible must be done to prevent Iran's nuclear armament. "This is the Israeli government's primary obligation. If it is not done by the current government, I plan to lead the next government to stop the Iranians."

Netanyahu clarified that he was referring to, "all actions necessary to prevent a situation in which Iran will threaten us with nuclear weapons."

Netanyahu, who is vying for Likud chairmanship, also said that if Prime Minister Ariel Sharon takes action to thwart the Iranian threat, he would enjoy "my full support, regardless of political considerations."

IDF chief: Diplomatic pressure on Iran unlikely to succeed
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said Sunday that he is skeptical that diplomatic pressure will put a halt to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

"The fact that the Iranians are successful time after time in getting away from international pressure...encourages them to continue their nuclear project," Halutz told foreign reporters.

"I believe that the political means that are used by the Europeans and the U.S. to convince the Iranians to stop the project will not succeed," Halutz added.

Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful, civilian purposes. But last month, the European Union accused Iran of having documents that show how to make nuclear warheads, and joined the U.S. in warning Tehran that it could face referral to the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions.

Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, said talks between Iran and European countries, which had broken down in August after Tehran restarted uranium conversion, would resume in two weeks.

Ahead of the renewed diplomatic meetings between Britain, France, Germany and Iran, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tehran was optimistic about the talks.

"If Europeans respect our right, we are optimistic about Iran-Europe talks," Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters, adding that Iran was entering the talks without any prejudgment. "Important talks could be held and important results could be gained."

Sharon said Sunday that Iran must not be allowed to become a nuclear power, but Israel is not in the vanguard of efforts to block Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

"It's clear that we can't have a situation where Iran will become a nuclear power," Sharon said in a restatement of Israel's position. "Israel is not spearheading the process, but it is definitely a partner to countries concerned by this dangerous development."

Military Intelligence chief Major General Aharon Ze'evi (Farkash) last week said that diplomacy would have failed if Iran was still working on producing nuclear weapons by March.

"If by the end of March 2006, the international community does not manage to use diplomatic means to block Iran's effort to produce a nuclear bomb, there will no longer be any reason to continue diplomatic activity in this field, and it will be possible to say that the international attempts to thwart [Iran's efforts] have failed," Ze'evi said.

Several MKs said they thought Ze'evi was saying military efforts would become necessary by April.

"The comments by the head of Military Intelligence convey a harsh, worrying and dark picture," said Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud). "Iran is going to become a nuclear power in the region and the world is helpless."