Russia: Deal reached with Iran on nuclear plant construction
U.S. senator to propose commission to draft alternative Iran report using same intelligence referenced in NIE.
By News Agencies Tags: Iran USRussia and Iran have settled all differences over the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power station and agreed on a time-table for its completion, the Russian contractor building the station said on Thursday.
"We have resolved all the problems with the Iranians," said Sergei Shmatko, president of Atomstroiexport. "We have agreed with our Iranian colleagues a timeframe for completing the plant and we will make an announcement at the end of December."
Russia's role in building the Bushehr plant on the Gulf is at the center of a diplomatic dispute. Western powers, which suspect Iran wants to develop a nuclear weapon, have pressed Moscow to drop the project.
Tehran says its nuclear program is exclusively intended to generate electricity and Moscow has dismissed concerns the Bushehr project would hand Iran sensitive technology that could help in a bomb-making program.
Russia had earlier suspended construction at Bushehr, saying Iran had failed to make payments for the work. Some observers say Moscow has been wary of the diplomatic outcry that could result when it delivers nuclear fuel to Bushehr.
Shmatko said the delivery of fuel - after which the plant can begin operating within six months - would go ahead, though he did not reveal details of the timetable.
"We absolutely, definitely intend to build the Bushehr atomic power station and intend definitely to deliver the fuel to the plant," said Shmatko.
Iran: Tehran views IAEA talks positivelyIran said on Thursday its latest round of talks with the UN nuclear watchdog to resolve outstanding issues about its disputed atomic work were a positive step, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.
Experts from the two sides started three days of talks on Monday under a deal reached in August between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran to remove concerns about the country's nuclear work.
"Talks were held in a completely constructive atmosphere and this is another positive step by Iran ... to resolve the remaining issues," Mehr quoted Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the IAEA, as saying.
Soltanieh said the result of talks would be announced by the IAEA after "it finishes all the necessary evaluations."
Under the pact, Iran is to answer outstanding questions about its nuclear activities one by one.
The latest round of talks focused on questions about particles of arms-grade enriched uranium found by IAEA inspectors at Tehran's Technical University.
"At these meetings, answers to the Agency's technical questions regarding the issue of the source of contamination were given," Soltanieh told the official IRNA news agency.
The UN Security Council has imposed two rounds of limited sanctions on Iran since last December over Tehran's failure to heed a UN demand to halt uranium enrichment. The United States and Western allies want further measures.
Enriched uranium can be used both for fuelling power plants and, if desired, for making bombs.
The IAEA said in a report in November Tehran was cooperating but not proactively. IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei said Iran was making "good progress" in solving questions about its plans.
U.S. senator to call for new Iran report using same intelligence Meanwhile, a Republican senator plans to introduce legeslation to create a bipartisan commission to produce an alternative report on the Iranian nuclear issue based on the same intelligence referenced in an estimate released last week.
The National Intelligence Estimate, released last week, concludes Iran halted its weapons development program in 2003 and that the program remained frozen through at least the middle of this year. That reversed a key finding from a 2005 intelligence report, which said Iran was intently developing a nuclear bomb. An unclassified summary of the new report was released specifically to correct that impression.
The new report was received skeptically by some Republicans in Congress who believe Iran's nuclear program remains an immediate threat, and think the 2005 report is closer to the truth.
Republican Senator John Ensign plans to introduce legislation to create a bipartisan commission to produce an alternative report on the same intelligence.
"We just see politics injected into this," said Tory Mazzola, Ensign's spokesman. "When it comes to national security we really need to remove politics. We're saying, let's take a second look."
The proposed commission is based on similar review panels convened in the mid-1970s to reconsider the intelligence agencies' analysis of the Soviet Union, and an effort in the mid-1990s to reassess the threat of ballistic missiles to the United States.
Last week, Rep. Todd Tiahrt, a Republican, said at a committee hearing he does not trust the new findings.
"I'm not sure we have a good, clear signal of what's really happening inside Iran," he said. "We've got a very big batch of mixed signals."
Twice in the last week, senior U.S. intelligence officials have been forced to defend what they consider the most rigorously reviewed National Intelligence Estimate they have produced.
Principal Deputy Director of Intelligence Donald Kerr issued a statement responding to those questioning the analytic work and integrity of the intelligence agencies. "We feel confident in our analytic tradecraft and resulting analysis in this estimate," he said.
And on Wednesday, a senior intelligence official told reporters that intelligence analysts are aware of the political tumult surrounding the report but do not worry about the political repercussions of their judgments. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was expanding on the official rebuttal.
"Analysts focus on making certain their reports are sound, logical and based on reliable information," he said.
He contrasted the Iran National Intelligence Estimate with the flawed 2002 assessment of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program. That report was produced at the request of the Senate Intelligence Committee in just a month.
"The Iran report was delayed by the intelligence agencies by more than a year and a half in order to review new intelligence and to take extra care to verify sources and consider alternative explanations for what analysts were seeing," he said.
National Intelligence Estimates are the consensus judgments of the nation's 16 intelligence agencies on key concerns. Between 15 and 20 are produced every year, and they go through multiple steps to check the validity of information and analysis.
In late 2002, then-CIA director George Tenet added another safety measure after the faulty Iraq report, which turned out to rely heavily on a single, questionable source.
Tenet required those who collect intelligence to sit at the table with those who analyze it to explain who their sources were, the confidence they have in them, and whether their information can be corroborated.
"There is so much more synergy now between the collection agencies and the analytic side," the senior official said. Everyone around the table is working with the same amount of information.
The estimates are also reviewed by outside experts who are given a one-day security clearance. Some are chosen specifically because they are known to have divergent views on what the key judgments say.
"We want to understand if we are victims of group-think in this analysis," he said.
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Republican Senator John Ensign (AP) |
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russians need work. give it to them the old fashioned way, the soviet way. each time a plant's finished, destroy it. work's good for the soul.
a peaceful nation. And than make ready to bomb the NUKLEAR POWER PLANT in Israel.
My compliments to your mother! She must be so proud to have raised such a wonderful human being, being capable of disregarding 3 millennia of good will that the Persian People did for your ilk (the Jews) just b/c you THINK ahmadi said something (which is a BIF LIE anyway to begin with). Please pass my compliments to her! Thank you and L' Chaim!
How credible can your posts be if you are so quick to call names . Shame on you, this is a debate not a name calling marathon, and I will not retaliate in kind, too demeaning
"Putin will do anything to spite the West in his paranoia." - sweis I wish I could attribute anything but cold cunning to Putin. Bush was right about Putin. Bush told of how he gazed deep into the eyes of Putin and saw a "soul mate." They were soul mates to the extent that they are both ruthless opponents of democracy. They are both dictatorial men determined to rule - if not the world - as much as they can. And they are both monsters without a conscience. But there are two things that Putin is and Bush is not. Putin is sane and competent. There is not a shred of evidence that Iran has a bomb program. So long as there are comprehensive IAEA inspections and safeguards Iran will have no bomb program. Putin is not - as Bush (and swies) is - a paranoid psychopath out of touch with reality.
"Pity that when islamists get a bomb, Israel will be on top of the list of targets" - Mark of the City. The first Islamist nation of the current evolution was Pakistan which renounced secularism for Islamicism in 1978. It has had 'the Bomb" since the mid-1980s. Your paranoid ravings are devoid of any comprehension of reality. You might, just might, mark, start paying attention to reality. It is clear you have not paid any attention to reality for almost 30 years.
That is to let Iran know that a nuclear attack attempted on Israel by Iran, Syria or hezbollah or Hamas terrorists will result in the complete nuclear annihilation of every metropolitan area in Iran, all military facilities and all infrastructure. That threat must be made as real as possible so they understand it. Iran will then turn their attention to the Sunni oil Gulf nations which will really upset the US as opposed to Iran taking a direct anti-Israel position. When the Saudis / Kuwaitis are threatened, the US will act.
jonathon thats got to be the craziest thing i've ever heard! but i like it...its so crazy it might work! the world we live in today doesn't seem all that sane anyway.... PS, maybe its time for the nations leaders to also start thinking outside the "box"
if we work with them, we can see what is going on, and even if we hate each other mutually, this can cancell out, and who knows, we both would, or could learn something. at any rate, it's a lot better than mutual bombing, getting russia pissed off, etc etc. also, in return for the help we could get some much needed oil and perhaps even show these klutzes how to build and run an oil refinery well and efficiently. it's a dam sight better than all this stupid killing on both sides, like a broken record or cd. if you will. try it you might like it. we have the capability and i don't think iran is that stupid. responses please. if they need us they won't want to kill us !! let's try something different !! shalom
Putin will do anything to spite the West in his paranoia. Never mind the danger to the world with an Iranian bomb.
Pity that when islamists get a bomb, Israel will be on top of the list of targets and not vlad-land. I could imagine putin as a piece of toast. As they say, a leopard doesn't change its spots.
I know, let's render the CIA to a secret prison and waterboard them until they do what Israel wants.
Russia and China are already building Wind Mills, "just in case" the wind will blow in the "wrong" direction.
IF a small group of people can control one of the greatest powers on earth.....today,then either that power is a bunch of fickle-minded people, or that lobby is something,to fill ones heart with awe and envy. Hey lobby! keep on the good work,fear not,and continue,but never never apologize!
I know the reactor is the same built. What would it take to make an accident happen and what would be its its Repercussion. What would happen to oil fields, water desanilation plants and so forth. If there is analysis of this somewhere I would like to read it.
Kerry got trounced in 2004 because he sounded and acted as if he was running for president of the EU and not for president of the US. I don't think that Hilary would make such a mistake, but most of the other Dem candidates might. Any democrat running for president needs to consistently and convincingly sound like an american patriot whether he/she really believes if or not. A Dem candidate might be able to survive as a backer of abortion and gay rights, but can never win with even a whiff of the sort of "love everyone that hates america" stench that you personify.
for small mercies Yesterday Israel was expecting the Goy to take at face value a report prepared by the political wing of a terrorist organisation. Which just so happened to agree with Israel's point of view. At least now they are trying to get the Senators they bankroll to try to change the jist of the CIA report. Who can't fail to see the hypocrisy in this report? Lets take the Politics out of it by having politicians rewrite it.
Russia wants to assert itself, but it is not an enemy. Russia will keep its foot in the Iranian door, which is more than Bush et al can boast of. And if anything tricky is afoot with Ahmad, it will be known unequivocally...
Under whose nuclear shadow would you rather reside: Israel's or Iran's?
Ignored amidst all the blather by the chicken little brigade over an apparently non-existent Iranian bomb program is an indication of the real shift in regional power which is bound to get the attention of intelligent analysts. In a heads up to the defense industry, the "Industry Outlook" page in the 3 December issue of Aviation Week and Space Technology carried a story "Russian Arms for Riyadh?" Seems that one result of the Annapolis photo-op and the continued US warmongering in the region is that the House of Saud is negotiating major arms contracts with the Russians instead of the US.
"The Republicans are on their way out." - mmcgoo Do not count on it. The dummycrats seem determined to lose the next election.
I listened to Chef Boulton giving his recipe for another disaster just a few days ago on NPR. He doesn't need to cook anything new up, he has it all prepared and ready to go.
It seems that dim-witted people like clickfool are so obsessed with the notion that Jews run everything. Where did this theory come from? Who brainwshed these monkeys to think this way? Was it their Imam, their parents, grsndparents? This level of racism stems back to the middle ages, Nazi germany etc. One would think that with all the technology and resources available to us, the education level would increase, but Clickfool proves that people will be dumb no matter what!!!
"Chernobil" in Iran. Build by Russians and maintained by arabs..............!!!! I hope they won't put the blame on the Mossad when it happens. The question here is not "if" but "when". It's like flying on a "Tupolev" which, when maintained by Russians is already a nice risk, imagine; maintained by arabs.........!!!!
John Ensign, the veterinarian from Nevada, is a Pentecoatal Christian who has been an hawk in the U.S. Senate. He has the distinction of having used the archaic “secret hold rule”, whereby a Senator can ANONYMOUSLY block a Senate bill before reaching the floor for a vote. One bill in particular was one which would have required Senators to file their “fund raising” reports electronically, so that citizens could easily know who provided financial support for the Senator’s political campaigns. I find it amazing, that so many people in politics seem to “know everything” about things in which they have “no knowledge”.
no revised report will get the support of anyone, especially a revised report done by senators in an election year. Ha! Too funny. The fact is that Iran will get nukes, sooner than we think and it will be in part because of George W. who lied to everyone for an unnecessary war.
Sajith: Why you ask foreigners to do the dirty job, there are not patriots in Iran? The PA is waiting from Israel to eliminate Hamas, have the Iranians the same Arab's mentality?
On September 27, 2007, the members of the Senate discovered that Senator Ensign had been using the ?secret hold? power (the power of a lawmaker to anonymously block a bill from reaching a floor vote without stating rhyme or reason or identity) to obstruct bills slated to require senators to file fund-raising reports electronically, as House and presidential candidates long have done, rather than obscure their benefactors in paper intensive filings. This is the man that will review the intelligence report. No doubt he will use his considerable experience to make the intelligence data fits his political views.
clearly very little thought has been given to this project in relation to iran and its nuclear weapon ambitions ? no one needs to deliver an atomic bomb its there waiting and ready to ignite !
"We just see politics injected into this," said Tory Mazzola, Ensign's spokesman. "When it comes to national security we really need to remove politics. We're saying, let's take a second look." So Ensign's going to take the politics out of the report by having politicians tell the intelligence community 'we don't like this report, go back and come up with one we do like.' Well at least it gave me a laugh. Oh well, the Republicans are set for about 50 years in opposition, judging by people like Ensign and the political midgets and weirdoes running for their presidential nomination, so I guess we shouldn't worry too much about what they want.
Try Try Try again. What we are seeing played out is part of a deal brockered by Saudi Arabia between Iran and the United States. Those who support bombing Iran have not explained how they propose to destroy the knowledge base spread throughout Iran which will prevent Iran been where they are now in two years time. For once the United states Generals have asked the same question and come up with this report. No bang bang in Tehran I'm afraid the States aren't doing it (and Israel will not be allowed)because the economic and political price is strataspheric when compared with the physical results that will be gained by bombing. Get over it Israel. Or find unequivocal proof that Iran is building the bomb, and I do not mean the political wing of a terrorist organisation telling Israel what it wants to hear.
"As your numerous emails on the topic attest, you are the self proclaimed expert on the Mossad" I NEVER talk about Mossad, Kevin. I leave that to Mossad Fake Clickfool who leaves daft messages under my name so that his fellow Zionists can pile in to point out how daft they are. This man once claimed (under my name) that Mossad had planted nuclear reactors in the polar icecaps to melt them.
Israel should do the world and the people of Iran a favour by specifically targeting the overthrow of the Evil Ahamadinajad. The Iranian people are noble people with a proud heritage, but this scoundrel has been swept to power by the biggoted mullas, and its high time he is deposed (or disposed of.)
Not a dumb fella.He reckons like most of us that we were given a Micky Mouse Chilean Package deal.The report was manufactured for one reason only. Put the screws on the White House. So,Click, an intelligent, NIE report is required for all and sundry. The Jewish conspiracy theory is still out to lunch!
As your numerous emails on the topic attest, you are the self proclaimed expert on the Mossad as well as Jewish conspiracy theories. I'm sure that many Talkback readers like myself (not Jewish) would like to know exactly how fearful we should be of a Jewish takeover. When and where is it likely to occur? And most importantly, can something be done to stop it (but not a Final Solution scenario, as that has been already tried)?
They've already lost the Senate & the House of Representatives. The Republican President is a gelded lame duck. The 2008 election will see more of them tossed out on their arse. If Israelis think the GOP is going to ride to their rescue on the hoped for war with Iran, you're going to be severely disappointed.
The NIE report is prepared by a group that lobbies are not allowed to legally influence. Our bureaucracy is likely less "political" than the elected bodies who it seems are now succumbing to the pressure of lobbying orgs to review the report. Also, our intelligence agencies prepare their own reports, and it is know that it is becoming common practice on the Hill to allow lobbies to draft and submit various items including legislation through the Reps and Senators they sponsor. In addition, the NIE findings are supported by those of the IAEA which has already said the American elected institutions are attempting to mislead our public again as they did in Iraq.
I certainly did not mean to upset you, as I seem to have done. However the question does remain. Which group, in your humble opinion, has more influence on the world stage, the American Jewish Lobby or THE MOSSAD? Can anything be done to save humanity from this scourge?
"The new report was received skeptically by SOME Republicans in Congress who believe Iran's nuclear program remains an immediate threat, and think the 2005 report is closer to the truth" Who are the SOME?....Jewish and pro-Israel neocon warmongers. Their quest for spreading wars will never end!
Search web what they write of him. What is your aim? To tell how first thing was wrong and wake up Ahmedinejads anger. Do what you want but either employ an anthropologist in Govermente or ask me for a piece of advice
How you Zionists love Fake Clickfool, Michal. He leaves crap messages under my name, and in you all pile. A pathetic solution for pathetic debaters.
the mere headline of this article reminds me that the USA Government didnt like the US Army's report on Von Braun, so they sent it all the way back to Germany to have it rewritten.
It wasn't enough for Clickfool to send one predictable, boring harangue about Jewish control of world events. He had to send almost identical ones twice. The real question Clickfool has yet to ask is: Which group has more influence on the world stage, the American Jewish Lobby or THE MOSSAD? LOL
You just knew that was coming. I still can't get over Daniel Pipes remarks on Michael Savage (aka Weiner) radio show the other day, two unbiased American patriots (yeah right),this is getting good now. What a surprise, they agree with Israeli intelligence that contradicts American report. Pipes said the Lobby will fight this report until it is buried. It's about time we saw fireworks. The Anglo-Saxon establishment seems to be saying no more wars for Israel but try convincing the chosen ones that bombing Iran and killing millions is not a good idea. What's even more laughable, is watching the Zionist warmongers go apoplectic at any mention of the intelligence report. Nobody is buying the scam, even if Lieberman didn't sponsor the bill - which can only be explained by the fact he met his 50 pro-Israel resolutions quota for this week - the Lobby is in full attack mode but this time, unlike the Iraq fiasco, REAL patriots are speaking out.
...and he'll keep insisting on a new one until it supports the case for war against Iran on Israel's behalf. The American Jewish Lobby's control of US democracy becomes more blatant by the day.
If at first you don't succeed... Why do I smell the machinations of the Jewish Lobby hard at work? It's DeJa Vu all over again.
So a Senator from Nevada and a House Rep from Kansas, both members of the minority want a new committee to produce a new report? Who would head it John Bolton? Good luck convincing Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi to put it on the fast track agenda for quick passage. It's always hard to find the right chef when you want your intel cooked just right.