Irancove @ July 31, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Via: NDTV
More than 100 non-aligned nations on Wednesday backed Iran’s right to peaceful uses of nuclear power - an endorsement that is key to Tehran in its standoff with the United Nations Security Council over its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment.
Support was expressed in a three-page declaration that drew heavily in phrasing on similar past […]
Irancove @ July 31, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Source: CASMII/PressTV
The following is Press TV’s exclusive interview with Iran’s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh.
Mr. Soltaniyeh believes Western media mislead the international community over the issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear activities.
Press TV: Following a meeting on Thursday between the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization and the IAEA chief, some […]
Irancove @ July 31, 2008 # No Comment Yet
by Scott Ritter
Scott Ritter is a former U.N. weapons inspector and Marine intelligence officer who has written extensively about Iran.
The war between the United States and Iran is on. American taxpayer dollars are being used, with the permission of Congress, to fund activities that result in Iranians being killed and wounded, and […]
Irancove @ July 31, 2008 # 2 Comments
Courtesy of The Real News: Video of the annual Christians United for Israel (CUFI) meeting in Washington. “Brother Joseph” attends:
Irancove @ July 30, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Exceprt from George Monbiot at the Guardian:
Those who maintain that Iran’s purposes are peaceful clutch at the National Intelligence Estimate published by the US government in November. While it judged that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons programme in 2003, it saw the country’s civilian uranium programme as a means of developing “technical capabilities that […]
Irancove @ July 30, 2008 # One Comment
Kenneth Timmerman, the Executive Director of the deceitfully named “Foundation for Democracy in Iran” published an article in the unreliable Newsmax, citing the remarks of William Graham (a key missile defense lobbyist) on the threat of a nuclear strike on the US by Iran. The article starts:
Iran has carried out missile tests for what […]
Irancove @ July 29, 2008 # One Comment
Ezra Klein reflects on the Neoconservatives who started the Iraq war and are now trying to start an Iran war:
I have now been called antisemitic and intellectually unstable and a whole bunch of other silly things by the folks over at the Commentary blog. They want Time Magazine to fire or silence me. This is […]
Irancove @ July 28, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Source: CASMII
On July 25, the Associated Press published a report by journalist George Jahn titled “Iran ends cooperation with UN nuclear arms probe”. [1] The story claimed to be based on comments by Gholamreza Aghazadeh, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation in a press conference after meeting with the Director General of the IAEA, […]
Irancove @ July 28, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Anatol Lieven and Trita Parsi in the IHT:
Monday, July 28, 2008
The Bush administration’s decision to open direct contacts with Iran is to be welcomed, but precisely because it marks such a break with previous U.S. policy, it also carries a great danger. This is that hard-liners in the American and Israeli governments will treat […]
Irancove @ July 27, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Writing on the NPT, Bennett Ramberg implicitly promotes an Israeli strike on Iran for it’s nuclear energy program (according to US intelligence estimates and the IAEA, Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program). While there is no proof of an Iranian nuclear weapons program, Israel has an estimated stockpile of around 200 […]
Irancove @ July 27, 2008 # No Comment Yet
An American lawyer has offered to represent Iran in an international lawsuit against Israel and his own government in an effort to stop Washington and Tel Aviv from initiating further sanctions against Tehran.
Francis A. Boyle says following Washington’s latest ultimatum to Tehran to freeze uranium enrichment within two weeks or face further isolation, Iran needs […]
Irancove @ July 27, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Via Haaretz:
Former Mossad Chief Ephraim Halevy told Time magazine in an interview published Thursday that an Israeli attack on Iran “could have an impact on us for the next 100 years” and should only be considered as a last resort.
Irancove @ July 27, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Bolton’s rationale for helping Israel start a war with Iran:
“We will be blamed for the strike anyway, and certainly feel whatever negative consequences result, so there is compelling logic to make it as successful as possible.”
Irancove @ July 27, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Via Payvand:
Democratic candidate Barack Obama held a private session with Iranian-American donors before he started his Mideast tour, a report says.
The Obama campaign has held a fundraising forum - which was not on the Democrat’s public schedule and was closed to the press, ABC News reported Friday.
During his 15 minute speech on July 13, Senator […]
Irancove @ July 26, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Marguerite Del Giudice has an excellent, comprehensive article on Iran at National Geographic. I have reprinted the entire article below, but I highly suggest visiting the National Geographic site to see the pictures and take the Iranian Culture Quiz.
Persia: Ancient Soul of Iran
A glorious past inspires a conflicted nation
by Marguerite Del Giudice
What’s so striking […]
Irancove @ July 26, 2008 # No Comment Yet
According to Swoop:
The Administration’s decision to send Assistant Secretary of State William Burns to participate in the July 19th P5+1 meeting with Iran’s nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in Geneva signals Washington’s commitment to further diplomatic maneuvering. The decision is controversial inside the Administration. A National Security Council official told us: “Secretary Rice’s swift negative dismissal […]
Irancove @ July 26, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Source Payvand/Press TV:
A group of influential Democratic senators led by John Kerry has called for a ‘limited diplomatic presence’ of the United States in Iran.
In a letter to President George W. Bush, leading Democratic senators backed the idea of opening of a US interests section in Iran.
“A limited diplomatic presence in Iran would improve our […]
Irancove @ July 26, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Courtesy of Iran Times:
Levey to twist arms again: Stuart Levey is the under secretary of the Treasury who has spent much of the last two years trying to strong-arm foreign bankers into ceasing their business with Iran. Levey is off on another arm-twisting tour starting last Tuesday. Many analysts think Levey’s efforts, which started in […]
Irancove @ July 25, 2008 # No Comment Yet
On June 6, following comments made by Israel’s transportation minister Shaul Mofaz that “attacking” Iran was “unavoidable,” CNN’s Ali Velshi (and the background graphics) diluted Mofaz’s belligerent comments by misquoting him as saying “Conflict with Iran is unavoidable.” Velshi repeated the misquote several times during the broadcast.
Irancove @ July 25, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Don’t Bomb Iran has the details. Excerpt:
Iran “admitted in 2002 that it had run a secret atomic weapons program for nearly two decades” Associated Press misinformed the world in a major story titled “Iran ends nuclear cooperation with UN nuclear arms probe”. There was no such admission nor evidence for such a claim. […]
Irancove @ July 25, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Helena Cobban at Just World News comments on Obama’s recent speech where he declared:
“A nuclear Iran would be a game-changing situation not just in the Middle East but around the world.”
.. [H]e was left to defend a proposal he made a year ago to negotiate with Iran. He said he would “take no options off […]
Irancove @ July 24, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Via Alternet:
Who says there’s no anti-war movement in the United States? In the past two months, the anti-war movement has taken on one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the United States in an important fight. And so far, the anti-war movement is winning.
Here’s the story: On May 22, a bill was introduced into […]
Irancove @ July 24, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Following Rep. Robert Wexler’s withdrawal of his support for the Iran blockade resolution, more lawmakers have followed suit. According to NIAC:
Washington DC - Yesterday, two members of the House of Representatives withdrew their […]
Irancove @ July 23, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Jim Lobe at Antiwar:
Two of Washington’s most prominent foreign policy graybeards praised Saturday’s direct participation in multinational talks with Iran by a senior U.S. diplomat but called on the administration of President George W. Bush to drop his demands that Tehran freeze its uranium enrichment program as a precondition for broader negotiations.
Retired Gen. Brent Scowcroft, […]
Irancove @ July 23, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Gus Bilirakis (R) sponsored House Resolution 1308 to ban Iran’s PressTV and al-Alam as terrorist organizations. PressTV has the story:
US Rep. seeks to blacklist Press TV
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:50:22
A US lawmaker is seeking to extend a previously-proposed resolution which labels several TV channels as terrorist and include Press TV.
The US House Resolution 1308 […]
Irancove @ July 23, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Ahmadinejad according to Radio Free Europe:
“Their representative in the meeting spoke politely and in a dignified way and he kept respect for the Iranian nation and this was a positive step.”
Addressing Washington, he added, “You have taken a positive step toward recognizing the right of the Iranian nation, toward justice, toward repairing [America’s] image in […]
Irancove @ July 23, 2008 # No Comment Yet
The Real News interviews Babak Yektafar of Washington Prism, who thinks the Iranians are viewing the negotiations in a more optimistic light with regards to future diplomacy. While acknowledging that talks are a step in the right direction, Yektafar thinks that the efforts made by Washington (appearance of Undersecretary Burns in Geneva) were mostly […]
Irancove @ July 22, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Jim Lobe asks some good questions on Bill Kristol’s peculiar meeting with General Odierno:
I can’t imagine what Kristol, who reportedly speaks with Sen. John McCain on a pretty regularly and has long been close to some of McCain’s top foreign-policy advisers (Randy Scheunemann, Bob and Fred Kagan, etc.), would tell Odierno about Iraq or military […]
Irancove @ July 22, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Farideh Farhi has an excellent post on Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili’s statements on the nuclear talks in Geneva. She tries to make sense of Jalili’s “verbal acrobatics” to understand why he is dancing around the issue of a possible short-term freeze in exchange for a short-term freeze on sanctions while further talks take […]
Irancove @ July 20, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Iranian Vice President Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei via Haaretz:
Iran wants no war with any country, and today Iran is friend of the United States and even Israel…. Our achievements belong to the whole world and should be used for expanding love and peace…
Will these comments be covered by MEMRI? (thanks to Eteraz for link)
Irancove @ July 20, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Col. Pat Lang asks why Bill Kristol, publisher of the Weekly Standard is meeting with General Odierno:
In my opinion, Kristol is not shy in pushing for an attack on Iran. He thinks that diplomacy is another word for weakness and merely a preparation of public opinion for military action to come. This was […]
Irancove @ July 20, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Laura Rozen at Mother Jones:
Even as some Washington observers were still marveling at the Bush administration’s decision to send a diplomatic envoy to international nuclear talks with Iran to be held in Geneva this weekend, some analysts and close administration associates cautioned that the Bush administration really had not changed its underlying demand that Iran […]
Irancove @ July 20, 2008 # No Comment Yet
After Nuri al-Maliki’s interview with Der Spiegel, where he gives support to Obama’s 16-month withdrawal, Ali al-Dabbagh released a statement claiming that the Maliki’s remarks were “misunderstood and mistranslated” and “not conveyed accurately regarding the vision of Senator Barack Obama, U.S. presidential candidate, on the timeframe for U.S. forces withrdrawal from Iraq.”
Interestingly, al-Dabbagh’s statement (presumably […]
Irancove @ July 19, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Pastor John Hagee’s group Christian’s United for Israel (CUFI) is holding their annual summit July 21-24. The summit will feature many anti-Iranian speakers such as Patrick Clawson, Daniel Pipes, William Kristol and Frank Gaffney—the summit’s keynote speaker will be senator Joseph Lieberman.
The Jewish group jewsonfirst.org who is opposed to the “growing strength of the […]
Irancove @ July 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
On Laura Rozen’s War and Piece site, there is speculation:
“Everyone seems to have missed the obvious: The State Department’s third man is going to [talk with] Iran to send oil prices down. I’m sure Paulson told Bush this was the only way to stop a panic.” Almost certainly part of it. (And is it working?)
Indeed, […]
Irancove @ July 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Gerald B. Helman, Former US Ambassador to the UN, writes a guest op-ed in the Informed Comment website. Excerpt below:
That is not to say that decisions have been made regarding substantive concessions. It is to say, instead, that all of the participants are experienced diplomats. Burns’ participation certainly was notified and “cleared” in advance […]
Irancove @ July 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
This article in USA Today claims that attacks against US soldiers in Iraq using armor piercing roadside bombs supplied by Iran have dramatically decreased. However, there was absolutely no proof offered by administration officials in the original charges against Iran; there is also no evidence in the USA Today article that the attacks were ever […]
Irancove @ July 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Souce: CASMII
We are a group of independent Iranian civil society representatives engaged in scientific and humanitarian work in our country. Some of us are also engaged in social service activities beyond our borders. While working for common causes, we often hold hands with civil society partners from other parts of the world, including members […]
Irancove @ July 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Via Haaretz by Trita Parsi and Roi Ben-Yehuda
The looming Iran-Israel confrontation has a seemingly deterministic quality to it. Listening to the politicians, one gets a sense that powers beyond our control are pulling us toward a 21st-century disaster. Yet a great deal of the force propelling us into confrontation is fueled by ignorance and dehumanization. […]
Irancove @ July 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
With the emerging possibility of future talks between the US and Iran, it is worthwhile to review some of the recent history. Eric Umansky has a great summary in the Columbia Journalism Review, about the “selective amnesia regarding Iran in US coverage.”
For example, as John Bolton now attempts to revise his statements on Iran, it […]
Irancove @ July 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
The Real News interview (part 1 of 2) with Tom Englehardt of Tomdispatch.com:
Irancove @ July 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Very interesting interview with Gareth Porter compliments of The Real News:
Gareth Porter is a historian and investigative journalist on US foreign and military policy analyst. He writes regularly for Inter Press Service on US policy towards Iraq and Iran. Author of four books, the latest of which is Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and […]
Irancove @ July 18, 2008 # No Comment Yet
As a guest on Bill O’Reilly’s radio show, Jonathan Hoenig advocated attacking Iran while discussing the economy. Media Matters has the transcript and video. Summary excerpt:
Summary: On Bill O’Reilly’s radio show, financial commentator Jonathan Hoenig said: “[I]f there’s bad guys out there, Bill, and you alluded to Iran and whatnot — let’s deal with them […]
Irancove @ July 17, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Amid news of U.S. Under Secretary of State William Burns joining in negotiations with Iran, new reports signal that the US is considering opening a diplomatic interest section in Tehran. Ahmadinejad’s comments indicate that the Iranians “[welcome] any move to expand ties.”
Irancove @ July 17, 2008 # One Comment
Iran expert Gary Sick responds to an op-ed by John Bolton that appears in the war mongering WSJ. Bolton has been aggressively promoting some combination of regime change, sanctions or attack against Iran for a very long time. Read Jim Lobe’s comments here.
Guest Column: Dr. Gary Sick of Columbia, a preeminent U.S. scholar […]
Irancove @ July 16, 2008 # One Comment
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With just six months left in office, the Bush administration has done an about-face in joining talks with Tehran over its nuclear program, a move analysts say is driven partly by a desire to avoid war with Iran.
For years, the Bush administration said it would join nuclear talks with Iran only if […]
Irancove @ July 16, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Source: NIAC
Washington DC - NIAC welcomes the State Department’s decision to have Undersecretary William Burns participate in nuclear negotiations with Iran this weekend in Geneva together with Washington’s European allies. While the State Department characterizes the meeting as a “one-time deal”, it signals a significant shift in U.S.’ long-standing policy and demonstrates a positive step […]
Irancove @ July 16, 2008 # No Comment Yet
In a new explanation for attacking Iran, Shmuel Rosner reports that some Israeli officials consider that an Israeli attack may not achieve its military objectives, but will ’stir the pot’ enough to awaken the international community.
According to this line of thinking, which has adherents among some high-ranking officials and former officials in the Israeli defense […]
Irancove @ July 16, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Via Khaleej Times:
MOSCOW - Saudi Arabia has offered to buy Russian arms worth 2.4 billion dollars (1.5 billion euros) if Moscow stops supporting Iran, a Russian newspaper reported Tuesday, citing diplomatic sources.
“The kingdom’s government advised Moscow to cease its cooperation with Tehran, and in exchange it held out the prospect of profitable contracts with Saudi […]
Irancove @ July 15, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Think Progress has the story.
John Bolton now:
COLMES: Well, you’ve said — statements over the last few months that either you believe the Bush administration is going to strike or that you would like if there were a first strike against Iran. Would that be an accurate reflection of your view?
BOLTON: No, it would not be […]
Irancove @ July 15, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Via CASMII:
Israel threatens to wage illegal, pre-emptive military attack on Iran
On Monday July 14th Israel’s senior defence official, General Amos Gilad during an interview with BBC Radio four’s Today programme said that Israel is preparing itself to take military action against Iran and that it would do so if diplomacy fails. The statement came […]
Irancove @ July 15, 2008 # No Comment Yet
By Sasan Fayazmanesh at Counterpunch:
In a daily press briefing on July 2, 2008, the following set of questions and answers took place between an unidentified reporter and Department of State Spokesman Sean McCormack [1]:
QUESTION: Tomorrow marks the 20 years since the U.S. Navy warship Vincennes gunned down the IR655 civilian airliner, killing all 300 people […]
Irancove @ July 15, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Ahmadinejad is planning a September visit to NYC to attend the UN General Assembly. According to TPM, his visit will likely set of a “furious skirmish” between the presidential candidates over Iran policy when the “presidential race is at its hottest.”
McCain’s campaign internet manager makes the snide comment:
Perhaps [Ahmadinejad] and Senator Obama can finally […]
Irancove @ July 15, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Fars News: Iran Ready for Talks with US under Fair, Equal Conditions
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday he would welcome direct talks with the US if both parties are on equal footing, adding such talks could happen at any time in future.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did not say whether any definite plans for such […]
Irancove @ July 14, 2008 # No Comment Yet
The Real News on Resolution 362 and Iran’s nuclear rights:
July 14, 2008: The US Congress is considering a resolution calling for the President to enact stricter economic sanctions against Iran, including an embargo against any imports of refined Petroleum. The most strongly worded section of the legislation is article three, which states: “Resolved by the […]
Irancove @ July 14, 2008 # No Comment Yet
According to their website, J Street is “the political arm of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement…founded to promote meaningful American leadership to end the Arab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israel conflicts peacefully and diplomatically.” The side also mentions supporting a “new direction for American policy in the Middle East and a broad public and policy debate about the U.S. […]
Irancove @ July 14, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Jim Lobe has a very interesting and insightful essay on the oppressed becoming the oppressors at his site.
Irancove @ July 12, 2008 # No Comment Yet
In a bizarre twist of logic, McCain’s chief Policy adviser Randy Scheunemann (a former director of now defunct PNAC) accused Obama of “unilateral cowboy summitry” for his willingness to talk to the Iranian leadership. Read the details at Daniel Levy’s site. Excerpt:
First of all, summitry, especially with another country (and not just with […]
Irancove @ July 12, 2008 # One Comment
According to Robert Naiman of Common Dreams, Christians United for Israel (CUI), led in part by Pastor John Hagee, is holding its third annual Washington-Israel summit in Washington DC. Hagee is a firm supporter of AIPAC and John McCain—however, McCain rejected his endorsement when it was revealed that Hagee claimed that Adolf Hitler was […]
Irancove @ July 11, 2008 # No Comment Yet
According to a few reports, the US has allowed Israeli jets to fly over Iraqi airspace and use US airbases for over a month in preparation for an attack on Iran.
According to Helena Cobban at Just World News, Israel’s Y-net (where the story originally appeared) updated their article to add an IDF denial saying the […]
Irancove @ July 11, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Regarding the doctored images of the Iranian missile test, Col. Pat Lang asks:
These are photographs of the Shehab 3 in the launch phase.
I am not an expert in the field of missile technology, but the missiles in the faked photograph appear to be anti-aircraft ground to air missiles. The slanted attitude of launch speaks to […]
Irancove @ July 11, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Iranian basketball team to play Utah Jazz and rookie Dallas Maverick team among others in a series of exhibition games in Salt Lake City:
By Ali Kermalli and Robert Windrem, NBC News
Despite rising tensions with Iran, the U.S. State Department today announced that it has invited Iranian athletes to compete in the United States as part […]
Irancove @ July 11, 2008 # No Comment Yet
by Prof. R.K. Ramazani and W. Scott Harrop
George W. Bush’s recent speech at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home highlights contrasting presidential legacies for advancing liberty in the world.
Ironically, President Bush sought to don the Jefferson mantle by claiming that, “We honor Jefferson’s legacy by aiding the rise of liberty in lands that do not know the […]
Irancove @ July 10, 2008 # No Comment Yet
John McCain responds to a question by ABC’s Charlie Gibson on whether Israel would be “justified” in carrying out an attack against Iran in light of its recent missile tests:
GIBSON: Would a strike by Israel be justified and what would you say to the Israelis?
MCCAIN: I can’t know whether a strike would be justified […]
Irancove @ July 10, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Source: Julia Murray/NIAC
Washington DC - “[Iran] is not ten feet tall. It often substitutes assertiveness and self-aggrandizing pronouncements for enduring power, promoting the illusion of Iran as a real counterweight to the United States,” said Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, William Burns at today’s hearings on US foreign policy on Iran at the House […]
Irancove @ July 10, 2008 # One Comment
Rep. Robert Wexler takes a few steps back on the Iran blockade resolution (Res. 362), which he cosponsored. The bill has recently received severe criticism for virtually serving as an act of war against Iran. In his article to the Huffington Post, Rep. Wexler is asking his colleagues not to vote for his […]
Irancove @ July 9, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Dear Senator McCain, The Iranian-American community is disappointed and disturbed by your comment yesterday about US exports of cigarettes to Iran as “a way of killing” Iranians.
This statement was insensitive, callous, and counterproductive. We are proud Americans, and grateful for the blessings of liberty and democracy not available in our country of origin. Our community […]
Irancove @ July 9, 2008 # No Comment Yet
According to Tom Engelhardt:
Here’s the point: Yes, there is a powerful faction in this administration, headed by the Vice President, which has, it seems, saved its last rounds of ammunition for a strike against Iran. The question, of course, is: Are they still capable of creating “their own reality” and imposing it, however briefly, […]
Irancove @ July 9, 2008 # No Comment Yet
In light of Admiral Michael Mullen and Anthony Cordesman’s recent public positions against an Israeli attack on Iran, Col Pat Lang has an interesting post on the diverging interests of Israel and the US. Excerpt below:
Now we have the case of Iran and its putative nuclear weapons program. The US intelligence community judged in the […]