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Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. (Archives) Last update - 11:37 20/02/2008 MKs to fan out globally to warn of Iran threat By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies Tags: sanctions, israel  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. 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. 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. Advertisement "For the initial stage, we recruited MKs who have knowledge and experience in the diplomatic-security realm, as well as good ties with senior European officials," explained a senior Foreign Ministry official. "MKs also have greater credibility in the Europeans' eyes, since they are seen as independent, not people who follow the government's line." The politicians were deliberately chosen to represent both coalition and opposition parties. "It's important for Europeans to see that on this issue, there is a consensus in Israel," the official said. Meretz Chair MK Yossi Beilin, who arrived in Berlin on Wednesday to meet with German parliament members and government officials, including Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier agreed. "Not all the MKs have the same opinions on diplomatic-security issues, but we all share a concern over Iran's nuclearization," he said. MK Ephraim Sneh (Labor) and former foreign minister MK Silvan Shalom (Likud) will hold similar meetings in London this week, while MKs Yuval Steinitz (Likud) and Danny Yatom (Labor) are heading for Budapest. In the following weeks, Hanegbi (Kadima), MK Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) and MK Isaac Ben-Israel (Kadima), a former air force major general, will be dispatched on similar missions. In addition to their official meetings, the MKs will also give briefings to the local media. To prepare them for the mission, they were given a series of in-depth briefings last week on the latest Israeli intelligence on Iran, as well as on Israel's diplomatic efforts to halt Tehran's nuclear program. Iran says bringing world powers 'to their knees' The Iranian president said on Wednesday Iran's determination to continue its disputed nuclear work had brought major powers "to their knees". 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". As well as worrying the West, Ahmadinejad's uncompromising speeches have stoked concerns among moderate politicians in Iran, an issue that has come to the fore before the March election for parliament. Critics say the president is pushing Iran into international isolation. Former nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, who is running for a parliament seat, said in remarks published on Wednesday he had quit the post of negotiator over "differences on management mechanism" with Ahmadinejad. He did not elaborate. The IAEA report is expected to be released this week. IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei has said the agency has made "good progress" in resolving outstanding issues. UN Security Council members are expected to scrutinize the details in his report before finalising any new sanctions text, which is now being considered. The final word in nuclear policy lies with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, under Iran's system of clerical rule, but the leader has also said Iran will not stop atomic work. "Today the agency, which is legally in charge of this case, has prepared a report and announced that Iran's activities are legal and there is no diversion," Ahmadinejad said. "Big powers should respect the agency and its findings." The IAEA has been seeking answers to long-standing questions about Iran's program, closing some of its files, under a deal with Iran reached last year, when Larijani was leading the Iranian nuclear negotiating team. The United States is spearheading efforts to impose more sanctions in Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment, the part of Iran's programme that most worries the West because it has civilian and, potentially, military uses. Russia and China, commercial partners with Iran, have been resisting U.S. moves to toughen penalties. Iran insists its work is entirely peaceful and only aimed at mastering technology to be used to generate electricity. Larijani told the Financial Times that Iran had responded to the IAEA to show the country's plans were peaceful. "We have finished answering all their ... questions," he said. Related articles: Tehran: Israel has neither legitimacy nor any role in the Middle East IAEA denies internal row over Iran, condemns Western 'hype' Barak tells Knesset U.S. unlikely to attack Iran's nuclear installations On revolution anniversary, Iran vows not to suspend nuclear program Bookmark to del.icio.us   The black sheep The U.S. freezes Assad's cousin's assets for trying to weaken Iraq and Lebanon. Pristina, Ramallah Yasser Abed Rabbo called on the West Bank to declare independence like Kosovo.   1.   They`ll just be told to dismantle setllements first 05:28  |  Mark B. 20/02/08   2.   Zionist warmongers can never get enough 05:44  |  peacelover 20/02/08   3.   What will the Israeli MKs... 06:16  |  Maureen Ann 20/02/08   4.   A vain quest... 07:29  |  Esther 20/02/08   5.   Haven`t these fools realize Sanctions will not work! 08:11  |  Astasheiks 20/02/08   6.   Nuclear Iran. 08:18  |  Jean Van Daem 20/02/08   7.   #4 esther you are correct 09:23  |  robert carrington 20/02/08   8.   Israel trying to drum up support for its nuclear monopoly 09:35  |  Clickfool 20/02/08   9.   TOO LATE TO COUNTER IRAN... JUST GET READY 10:52  |  TripleJump 20/02/08   10.   Not a good way to start the day 10:55  |  Clickfool 20/02/08   11.   For Astasheiks # 5 10:59  |  Clickfool 20/02/08   12.   surrendering at home then crying abroad for pity 11:20  |  tanya 20/02/08   13.   the only way to stop them is by the use of force 11:54  |  Joey 20/02/08   14.   Europe has accepted a nuclear Iran already 11:58  |  Jonathan S 20/02/08   15.   TRIPLE JUMP "TOO LATE" CARE TO GIVE ALL YOUR EVIDENCE 12:00  |  PETER SM 20/02/08   16.   A crazy gang 12:08  |  David 20/02/08   17.   They will be laughed at 12:42  |  Stephen Murray 20/02/08   18.   Problem for Israel 12:46  |  Chris Linthwaite 20/02/08   19.   For Joey, who wants war with Iran # 13 13:21  |  Clickfool 20/02/08   20.   Trying to rescusitate a dead war 13:37  |  Mark Lincoln 20/02/08   21.   Fruitless drum beating 14:02  |  Natallie Durson 20/02/08   22.   Clickfool, why do you gloat. 14:49  |  Allon 20/02/08   23.   Are the israeli citizens protected? 14:53  |  Mike 20/02/08   24.   clicky # 19 15:15  |  mike 20/02/08   25.   hypocrits as always!! 15:32  |  Ari 20/02/08   26.   # 19 -Clickfoot are you ignorant or what 15:44  |  Ari 20/02/08   27.   Iran Threat 19:25  |  ROBERT 20/02/08   28.   Threat? 20:00  |  Lee 20/02/08   29.   Zionist are the real threat 20:04  |  Gern Blansten 20/02/08   30.   Utterly transparent 20:53  |  Raoul 20/02/08   31.   Whining 23:24  |  Paul 20/02/08   32.   Iranian Oil Bourse 12:16  |  Avi 21/02/08   33.   Iran is threat to Zionists not Jews 13:15  |  Ahmed Asgher 21/02/08   34.   sanctions 00:03  |  Paul 22/02/08

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