Medvedev to European Jewish Congress: Iran threat very real

Everybody's looking for an exit leaving pariah state of Iran desperately abandonned behind except loyal Maureen Ann who's still hoping that Ahmadinejad's wiping off the map was not misstranslated and that one day,one day it WILL happen. Did you find a knitting kaffiyeh pattern you were looking for Maureen? Why don't you make a kaffiyeh with the name Neda Agha-Soltan on it and send it to Medvedev,maybe he will change his mind and be back with you again?

Russia. They speak with a double tongue and are certainly not friends to Israel (or the Jews).

M.L.:"All Uranium is accounted for and under IAEA seal at Natanz. There is no diversion to any clandestine program going on." Iran is mining uranium within its own borders, for example at the Gchine mine near Bandar Abbas. The uranium mined from there is completely unsupervised by the IAEA. Nobody knows where the yellowcake goes. And that is only one mine, there are more. These mines ARE EVIDENCE of a clandestine program. Open your eyes Mark and quit the didactic lectures. The mullahs want a nuke. Everything flows from there.

There has been little change in Russia's position. What has changed is that Iran was given a graceful way out of a tight situation and though the men running it's nuclear power program were in agreement with the deal it's politicians have balked. Thus Russia and China are agreeable to chastising the Iranian politicians for their asinine obstruction. Some folks have never comprehended the situation and still try and bash - or ignore - reality to justify positions which facts do not support. Medvedev statements are consistent with the diplomatic pressure being put on Iran by all six nations involved in negotiations as well as the IAEA and UN.

"Iran has not signed the Addional Protocol, so it is in its right not to abide with that." - Tony Silver That is not true. Iran signed and then withdrew from the Additional Protocols and the position of the IAEA is that ONLY when FULL compliance with the NPT and Additional Protocols is reached will it request the withdrawal of sanctions.

iran has threatened russia with legal proceedings over the s300 and rightly so, russia is just trying to make them retract, plain and simple.

...threatent the world with it. They are capable of the worst in the name of their religion and won't stop at anything now that they are so close to cloud nine.

ElBaradei asked the Mullahs for a raise and they refused since he is on the way out. He got mad and started telling the truth.

"Iran has the right to have its nukes! Iran has not signed the Addional Protocol, so it is in its right not to abide with that" But it did breach the protocol it signed and the other parties have the right to enforce it.

Is Medvedev playing the game, giving the European Jewish Congress what they want to hear - big bad Iran? Did Medvedev mention any nuclear disarmament endeavors which would include nuclear armed Israel - you can bet he didn't!

In addition to running a proxy war against Israel through its Hizbula and Hamas puppets, Iran has openly threatened Israel with annihilation. So when people like yourself compare the two, the question that comes to mind is whether you are indeed that stupid, or just pretending to be so? Not that it makes a difference anyway.

Iran has not signed the Addional Protocol, so it is in its right not to abide with that. By a similar logic, Israel has not signed the NPT, so they are allowed to have nuclear weapons. You can't have it both ways. If Israel is not bound by treaties it did not sign, neither is Iran.

And what goes through the minds of the Chinese?

Neither Russia or China want to see Iran possessing nuclear weapons. A year ago the Bush administration was the problem preventing an agreement on sanctions. That problem is gone and the situation has drastically changed. Iran needs to sell oil more than China needs to import it now. Russia is blocking the startup of the Busherh reactor and balking at delivering the S-300MPU-1s Iran has contracted for. Expect sanctions in the next day or two.

"At what point (if ever) will the US give the Israeli`s the green light to attack? Israel now has five Dolphin submarines able to launch 40 (with 1 reload) cruise missiles.These could be conventional warheads." - Mark Leaman If George W. Bush didn't give a green light it is unlikely Obama would. Advocates in Israel seem to be basing their planning on the US being drawn in to the war following an Israeli attack. Without nuclear warheads those few SLCMs would not be capable of seriously damaging the Iranian program. The same is true for Israel's ballistic missile assets. Iran has not made the mistake of Iraq and another nation of putting all it's 'eggs' in one basket.

"China will block any sanctions against Iran that include force." - Mark Leaman No one except Israel is talking of force. The sanctions being discussed are economic and if they include gasoline import restrictions they will HURT the government of Iran badly. The subject had to have come up with India in the last few days. Most of Iran's refined petroleum product imports are from India and China. Iran is building more refineries but most are not on line yet. Frantic negotiations with Venezuela have increased shipments. The sanctions will not be devastating, but will hurt.

The need to start refueling the TRR is imminent. Iran does not have time to shutdown, reconfigure and start producing 19.75% enriched fuel. I am confident they can produce the fuel elements. Brazil turned them down on refueling. The economy in Iran is not healthy and enhanced sanctions will hurt at a time when the government has little legitimacy. The technocrats at the AEOI are in favor of the IAEA deal, while the politicians are ignoring their most competent advice. The US is not in favor of a war with Iran, but Israel seems confident that if it starts a war Uncle Sam will be drawn in. Given Obama's capitulation to Netanyahu that is probably a sound judgement.

Like most, I don't believe that the US military action against Iran is likely unless the Iranians militarily provoked the US. However, you are correct about the vulnerability of NATO troops in Afgahnistan. Everthing is flown in, or trucked in from Pakistan. If Israel attacked Iran, the Iranians would probably attack the US as well as Israel in an asymetric war including terrorism. The only problem with Iran hitting NATO in Afgahnistan is that the Iranians and the Taliban are enemies.

Chinese main interest is in continued access to Iranian oil. Russian main interest is in improving status and influence in ME The USA trade-offs may very well be more pressure from USA to bring Zionist into line on a ME peace agreement. I could be wrong there are many issues and compromises that could be used between USA and China but in this instance China?s concern for ME stability probably predominate. Expect some unflattering coverage of Israel from USA soon.

'Iran has been quite foolish in it`s actions the last month ...' I daresay Iran's foolishness predates last month by quite a bit. But you are correct, its actions will result in unified action against it by the West. I wonder if non-military action alone will suffice. Today's situation reminds me of something Stalin once said: 'It will now be up to the generals to negociate.' Let us hope it doesn't come to that, and enjoy our Thanksgiving repast with our families - and with prayers for a peaceful future, too. MV

"Is there a limit on just how gullible the West can be?" - Gilles Not as gullible as those who don't have a clue Gilles. "Does anyone seriously think that this game that Iran has been playing for months now is anything but a stalling tactic?" - Gilles Few think it is a 'stalling' tactic. Rather it is understood as political intransigence. All Uranium is accounted for and under IAEA seal at Natanz. There is no diversion to any clandestine program going on. "While the West debates what to do next, Iran`s nuke program is going ahead full steam." - Gullible Gilles If there was a weapons program going 'ahead at full steam' then the same number of centrifuges running in Natanz would have been arranged in fewer but longer cascades and Iran would have already built it's first bomb. That is a FACT. Not someone's lurid imagination scaring them silly.

I don't think Iran is in as bad a position as you think. You will notice that over the past year or so, the number of centrifuges actually enriching uranium in Natanz hasn't changed, but the total number there has doubled. In other words, if the West were to actually apply new sanctions, Iran would retaliate buy doubling their enrichment. And if the west fails to provide 20% uranium, Iran can go ahead and produce it themselves. Fashioning it into the needed fuel plates may be beyond their expertise at the moment, but maybe in 18 months they could learn. Perhaps Brazil, following A'nejad's trip might even help with that. As for an attack, with Obama set to announce his Afghan surge, the U.S will be even more vulnerable to Iranian retaliation.

China will block any sanctions against Iran that include force. Unless a deal has been done with China to provide them with greater energy security, the Chinese will not back any tough sanctions against Iran. The Iranians have already demonstrated that they are getting better at managing their dependance on imported refined petroleum. At what point (if ever) will the US give the Israeli's the green light to attack? Israel now has five Dolphin submarines able to launch 40 (with 1 reload) cruise missiles.These could be conventional warheads. Israel may be able to destroy the main nuclear targets in Iran, however Irans missiles are in tunnels.

It appears that the world will accept Iran having nuclear weapons knowing they will use those weapons against Israel. Will the world's next move be to insist that Israel not retaliate should Iran drop a nuclear bomb on Tel Aviv? I guess the argument will be "Look, you can't bring back your dead so why kill others?" And I guess if Israel doesn't immediately agree there will be boycotts and sanctions.

Is there a limit on just how gullible the West can be? Does anyone seriously think that this game that Iran has been playing for months now is anything but a stalling tactic? While the West debates what to do next, Iran's nuke program is going ahead full steam.

There is for the first time a unanimous position between the nations of the Sextet and the IAEA. Iran has been quite foolish in it's actions the last month and seems unwilling to realize that it has been offered a deal who's rejection will result in a unified action against it.

Interesting how uninformed the prior three posts are. It seems none have ever read any of the IAEA Board Reports. In case there is anyone out there that would actually like to know what the current situation is they may start at the IAEA website;s "In Focus : IAEA and Iran page. http://www.iaea.or.at/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaIran/index.shtml The IAEA investigation has been extensive and is blocked on certain points of information and interviews which Iran has not answered or provided. Iran has rejected the proposal to exchange LEU, and it's proposals have not been accepted by the IAEA. The IAEA has found no evidence of Iran possessing any nuclear weapons and has accounted for all Uranium prepared for enrichment or which has been enriched and is certain there has been no diversion from the enrichment plant now operating. I realize that the facts are uncomfortable to persons who lack them but have highly biased opinions despite their ignorance.

If someone by thename of Mohamed ElBaradei is critical of Iran, then he can be believed.

This is SOP for the IAEA. Iran doesn't cooperate, the IAEA finds nothing, IAEA declares Iran has no nukes.

Iran agrees a simultaneous exchange of his LEU and the 20% enriched uranium. If Iran first send his LEU abroad and then receive the 20% OR simultaneously makes the exchange , the quantity of LEU left in Iran would be the same. Of course if they don't receive the 20% after sending the LEU out of Iran .... I understand their mistrust after Euridif, Bushehr, and S-300 contracts !

Surely the world never really thought that Iran would co-operate in disclosing its weapons programme. It never will and why would it??? so living here in Israel, I have already accepted the fact of nuke armed Iran. The only way to stop it if we want is to attack them, but that's a whole different argument. We'll either find a way to live in peace, or we'll wife ourselves out.

Now also the IAEA seems to wake up to the evidence known for years: Iran is not cooperating and doesn't want to. Good morning, world!