Things heating up in Iran... More Nuke Talk

Yeehaw. http://news.theage.com.au/world/iaea-urges-iran-to-end-nuclear-secrecy-20080930-4qsc.html

[rquoter]
IAEA urges Iran to end nuclear secrecy
September 30, 2008 - 2:16PM

A six-year investigation has not ruled out the possibility Iran may be running clandestine nuclear programs, the chief UN nuclear inspector says.

At Monday's opening session of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) 145-nation conference, the European Union also urged Tehran to fully cooperate with a UN investigation that is trying to assess all of its past and present nuclear activities.

"The international community cannot accept the prospect of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons," the EU said in a statement.

Israel also took Iran to task for co-sponsoring Islamic attempts to label the Jewish state a nuclear danger to the Middle East.

"What moral standing poses sponsors of this agenda item, who do not recognise Israel's right to exist while criticising Israel policies aiming at securing its very existence?" said Israeli delegate Schaul Chorev.

He was alluding to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's call for Israel to be wiped off the map.

Iran, in turn, accused the US, Britain and France of breaking their non-proliferation commitments by giving Israel "full uninterrupted cooperation with, and assistance in, nuclear weapon technology".

Tehran delegate Ali Ashgar Soltanieh condemned the "illegal and unjustified engagement of the United Nations Security Council" in pressuring his country to suspend uranium enrichment - something he said would never happen.

Iran, along with ally Syria, figures directly at the Vienna conference because they were among four nations seeking their region's nomination for a seat on the IAEA's decision-making 35-nation board.

Tehran was running to counteract a US push to have Afghanistan or Kazakhstan elected over Syria, which is under IAEA investigation for allegedly hiding a secret nuclear program, including a nearly completed plutonium-producing reactor reportedly destroyed last year by Israel.

But both Iran and Kazakhstan withdrew their candidacies by evening, said Mohammad Badi Khattag, Syria's chief representative to the IAEA.

In his opening speech, IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei focused on Iran's refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment program and alleged past plans to develop a nuclear bomb.

The UN Security Council approved a resolution on Saturday critical of Tehran's defiance on uranium enrichment, which can create both nuclear fuel and the fissile core of warheads.

Iran should "implement all transparency measures ... required to build confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear program", ElBaradei said.

"This will be good for Iran, good for the Middle East region and good for the world."[/rquoter]

So... if we don't do anything, will Israel? Militarily? WW3 is close...


FWIW - I do not want the US to act militarily... but do you think Israel will?

 

Dude... Israel doesn't need us to be in the neighborhood.

Do you remember the little test run on Lebanon a while back?


Anyone gets too close for comfort for them, and it's stone ages.

The fact they've tolerated much of what they do is more about not killing their own in the way... no collateral damage of friendlies.

If they choose to take Iran out, it will be swift, and unaided by the US.

We're the little dog in the fight in Israel's minds.