ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
This is how you properly fight terrorists, without making a noise.
Iran Military Advancements/News
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
The Futility and Immorality of Iran Sanctions
HONG KONG -- "We have been trading with Iran for 500 years and the only barrier has been a strip of water. Why would we stop now because someone across the ocean demands it?" a top local banker asked me rhetorically during my recent stopover in Dubai on my way to Iran. The two-way trade between the UAE and Iran is estimated to be around U.S. $15 billion and in reality is twice as much since this does not account for the enormous informal sector.
Contrary to what many have come to believe, U.S. sanctions on Iran are not as crippling as they are made out to be. Unlike many of its neighbors who are almost entirely dependent on oil, Iran is a diversified economy with a functioning manufacturing, agricultural and service sector, albeit inefficient due to sanctions and inadequate investments. The World Bank classifies it as an "upper middle income" country and despite sanctions Iran, with a GDP of $415.3 billion, is still the second largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa region. Average life expectancy (74 years) is almost as good as any in the developed world, and when it comes to primary school enrollment, Iran is leagues ahead of its neighbors.
But, if anything, the Iranian people are resourceful and creative. They get around the problem through ingenuity and enterprise. A thriving currency market in the bazaars of Isfahan allowed me to exchange as much cash as I wanted for my travel and shopping, and sellers were happy to accept the Hong Kong dollar, renminbi and the yen. Carpet merchants, hoteliers and even taxi drivers are ever ready to swap foreign currencies for the riyal. Bank Melli Iran even issues pre-paid "cash cards" that allow tourists to swipe transactions just as they would in Hong Kong or Singapore.
The sanctions make those of us who are rich even richer and those who are poor even poorer.
This is not to say that sanctions do not hurt. Inflation has hit the pockets of ordinary Iranians, and the collapse of the Iranian riyal, which has fallen by 57 percent of its value since early 2012, has made imports more expensive. By eliminating market competition and leaving what little room there is for international trade to a very restricted list of individuals and organizations, sanctions have created huge inequalities in Iranian society. As one wealthy Iranian told me, "the sanctions make those of us who are rich even richer and those who are poor even poorer."
So if sanctions are ineffective, then why are they still in place? This comes down to what former French President Valery Giscard D'Estaing called the "exorbitant privilege" granted to the U.S. via the Bretton Woods agreement. He used this to describe U.S.' unique ability to dominate the global financial system by virtue of the greenback being the global reserve currency. That extraordinary primacy of the greenback has allowed Washington to extend the notion of exorbitant privilege to exercising arbitrary force on those who dare not to play by its rules.
But the beneficiaries of the sanctions are many. These include the Gulf states, who are very aware of the windfall the sanctions on Iran gives them, and it is easy to see why they are beseeching Washington not to relax them. The motivations are probably more economic than sectarian. As the Dubai banker explained: "Iranians have a lot of money locked in Gulf banks, businesses and real estate. Guess what happens to all those shiny glass and marble shrines once Tehran rejoins the international financial system?"
What he implied was that much of that economic power could readily move to more fertile ground with a much larger consumer base. If the sanctions were lifted, the "music," at least for the Gulf states, could possibly slow down. But that might not be a bad thing as spreading the wealth in the region will create healthier competition and importantly help bring much needed political stability as commerce and trade expands. It will also unleash the untapped human capital of the largest and most educated pool of young people in the region -- and that would include women who outnumber men in universities in Iran.
So just how unfair is it for the world to let one nation have the exorbitant privilege to punish others just because it has an old axe to grind? No other country has been granted this, and it is about time the world took ownership of this "license" so that it is not abused.
You can drive the length and breadth of the U.S., but you will not find a single place with anything like the culture you will find at Imam Square. Why do they think we will bow to them?
Why? Successive U.S. administrations have shown the world repeatedly how badly it takes setbacks and seeks to punish others without global support. More than three decades have passed since the U.S. embassy hostage crisis, but that incident continues to color how American foreign policy frames Iran. For most Americans, Iran is a hostile place where their diplomats were once held hostage, not a warm and friendly country of about 80 million people and a GDP of U.S. $415.3 billion with whom they should have strong ties. Most Americans are either ignorant of or refuse to acknowledge that American and British conniving to protect oil interests thwarted Iran's first attempts at democratization in 1953.
On the humanitarian front, the tightening of the sanctions has resulted in serious shortage of lifesaving drugs, vaccines and other key medical supplies in the country. A much tougher sanctions regime on neighboring Iraq after the first Gulf war killed about half a million children under the age of five according to UNICEF. If such reports are anything to go by, then it is clear that sanctions did the same in more heavily populated Iran. But politicians in the West have become so trapped in this game of charades that even a threat to the lives of hundred of thousands of babies barely stirs their conscience. It would appear no price is high enough to pay to punish Islamic theologians whose worldview is not shared by the West.
But Iran is more than the simplistic image many in the West -- in their fear of Islam -- have of the country. To stand in the middle of Imam Square in Isfahan is to stand in awe of a culture that predates the arrival of the first pilgrims on the shores of North America. The Iranians know their place in history. Extremely learned, it is a culture that has developed a highly refined sense of literature, art and architecture. I met a 65-year-old master craftsman, who earns $200 a month investing three years of hard labor trying to fix an elaborately designed silk carpet made by a master weaver whose center was off by a mere two inches. What kind of a culture produces this kind of devotion to perfection? As my Iranian friend who has family in the U.S. told me, "you can drive the length and breadth of the U.S., but you will not find a single place with anything like the culture you will find just here at Imam Square. Why do they think we will bow to them?"
U.S. and European negotiators will do well to remember these words of a young businessman and not those of a religious fanatic. They should stroll through the bazaars of Isfahan and Shiraz if they have any second thoughts about inking the agreement with the Iranians. Neither the moderates, nor the hardliners will part with Iran's right to nuclear energy. If they are expected to play their role as responsible actors in global affairs, then they should be respected and trusted as equal partners. It is time for futile and immoral sanctions to go. The poor and weak have already paid an exorbitant price.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chandran-nair/futility-immorality-iran-sanctions_b_7762120.html
HONG KONG -- "We have been trading with Iran for 500 years and the only barrier has been a strip of water. Why would we stop now because someone across the ocean demands it?" a top local banker asked me rhetorically during my recent stopover in Dubai on my way to Iran. The two-way trade between the UAE and Iran is estimated to be around U.S. $15 billion and in reality is twice as much since this does not account for the enormous informal sector.
Contrary to what many have come to believe, U.S. sanctions on Iran are not as crippling as they are made out to be. Unlike many of its neighbors who are almost entirely dependent on oil, Iran is a diversified economy with a functioning manufacturing, agricultural and service sector, albeit inefficient due to sanctions and inadequate investments. The World Bank classifies it as an "upper middle income" country and despite sanctions Iran, with a GDP of $415.3 billion, is still the second largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa region. Average life expectancy (74 years) is almost as good as any in the developed world, and when it comes to primary school enrollment, Iran is leagues ahead of its neighbors.
But, if anything, the Iranian people are resourceful and creative. They get around the problem through ingenuity and enterprise. A thriving currency market in the bazaars of Isfahan allowed me to exchange as much cash as I wanted for my travel and shopping, and sellers were happy to accept the Hong Kong dollar, renminbi and the yen. Carpet merchants, hoteliers and even taxi drivers are ever ready to swap foreign currencies for the riyal. Bank Melli Iran even issues pre-paid "cash cards" that allow tourists to swipe transactions just as they would in Hong Kong or Singapore.
The sanctions make those of us who are rich even richer and those who are poor even poorer.
This is not to say that sanctions do not hurt. Inflation has hit the pockets of ordinary Iranians, and the collapse of the Iranian riyal, which has fallen by 57 percent of its value since early 2012, has made imports more expensive. By eliminating market competition and leaving what little room there is for international trade to a very restricted list of individuals and organizations, sanctions have created huge inequalities in Iranian society. As one wealthy Iranian told me, "the sanctions make those of us who are rich even richer and those who are poor even poorer."
So if sanctions are ineffective, then why are they still in place? This comes down to what former French President Valery Giscard D'Estaing called the "exorbitant privilege" granted to the U.S. via the Bretton Woods agreement. He used this to describe U.S.' unique ability to dominate the global financial system by virtue of the greenback being the global reserve currency. That extraordinary primacy of the greenback has allowed Washington to extend the notion of exorbitant privilege to exercising arbitrary force on those who dare not to play by its rules.
But the beneficiaries of the sanctions are many. These include the Gulf states, who are very aware of the windfall the sanctions on Iran gives them, and it is easy to see why they are beseeching Washington not to relax them. The motivations are probably more economic than sectarian. As the Dubai banker explained: "Iranians have a lot of money locked in Gulf banks, businesses and real estate. Guess what happens to all those shiny glass and marble shrines once Tehran rejoins the international financial system?"
What he implied was that much of that economic power could readily move to more fertile ground with a much larger consumer base. If the sanctions were lifted, the "music," at least for the Gulf states, could possibly slow down. But that might not be a bad thing as spreading the wealth in the region will create healthier competition and importantly help bring much needed political stability as commerce and trade expands. It will also unleash the untapped human capital of the largest and most educated pool of young people in the region -- and that would include women who outnumber men in universities in Iran.
So just how unfair is it for the world to let one nation have the exorbitant privilege to punish others just because it has an old axe to grind? No other country has been granted this, and it is about time the world took ownership of this "license" so that it is not abused.
You can drive the length and breadth of the U.S., but you will not find a single place with anything like the culture you will find at Imam Square. Why do they think we will bow to them?
Why? Successive U.S. administrations have shown the world repeatedly how badly it takes setbacks and seeks to punish others without global support. More than three decades have passed since the U.S. embassy hostage crisis, but that incident continues to color how American foreign policy frames Iran. For most Americans, Iran is a hostile place where their diplomats were once held hostage, not a warm and friendly country of about 80 million people and a GDP of U.S. $415.3 billion with whom they should have strong ties. Most Americans are either ignorant of or refuse to acknowledge that American and British conniving to protect oil interests thwarted Iran's first attempts at democratization in 1953.
On the humanitarian front, the tightening of the sanctions has resulted in serious shortage of lifesaving drugs, vaccines and other key medical supplies in the country. A much tougher sanctions regime on neighboring Iraq after the first Gulf war killed about half a million children under the age of five according to UNICEF. If such reports are anything to go by, then it is clear that sanctions did the same in more heavily populated Iran. But politicians in the West have become so trapped in this game of charades that even a threat to the lives of hundred of thousands of babies barely stirs their conscience. It would appear no price is high enough to pay to punish Islamic theologians whose worldview is not shared by the West.
But Iran is more than the simplistic image many in the West -- in their fear of Islam -- have of the country. To stand in the middle of Imam Square in Isfahan is to stand in awe of a culture that predates the arrival of the first pilgrims on the shores of North America. The Iranians know their place in history. Extremely learned, it is a culture that has developed a highly refined sense of literature, art and architecture. I met a 65-year-old master craftsman, who earns $200 a month investing three years of hard labor trying to fix an elaborately designed silk carpet made by a master weaver whose center was off by a mere two inches. What kind of a culture produces this kind of devotion to perfection? As my Iranian friend who has family in the U.S. told me, "you can drive the length and breadth of the U.S., but you will not find a single place with anything like the culture you will find just here at Imam Square. Why do they think we will bow to them?"
U.S. and European negotiators will do well to remember these words of a young businessman and not those of a religious fanatic. They should stroll through the bazaars of Isfahan and Shiraz if they have any second thoughts about inking the agreement with the Iranians. Neither the moderates, nor the hardliners will part with Iran's right to nuclear energy. If they are expected to play their role as responsible actors in global affairs, then they should be respected and trusted as equal partners. It is time for futile and immoral sanctions to go. The poor and weak have already paid an exorbitant price.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chandran-nair/futility-immorality-iran-sanctions_b_7762120.html
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
(Must Read)
20 Reasons Iran is not after Nuclear Bomb
By Ambassador Seyed Hossein Mousavian IPPNW - International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Since the beginning of Iran’s nuclear crisis, I have left no opportunity to remind my friends in the West that tough international sanctions won't stop Iran's nuclear policy and the military option would also be catastrophic. The Western interlocutors maintained the opinion that it was all a bluff and that by applying sanctions and credible threat of military strike, Iran would stop its enrichment program. Today, after almost a decade, it seems the West finally recognizes the reality about the “war option” but has failed to recognize the same for the “sanction policy.” The West’s impetus on deciding whether to opt for war or sanctions is based on the intention of Iran acquiring nuclear weapon. The question that has remained is whether Iran is ultimately after nuclear bomb or not. If the answer is no—then the West’s concerns could be alleviated through a diplomatic solution. Towards attaining a peaceful resolution to Iran’s nuclear file, the following is my reasoning as to why Iran is not after a nuclear bomb:
1. Since 2003, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has implemented the most robust inspections in its history with more than 100 unannounced and over 4000 man-day inspections in Iran. The agency has frequently declared there is no evidence of even a gram of nuclear material diverted towards building nuclear bomb.
2. The US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) in 2007 and 2011 concluded that:
• Iran does not have an active nuclear weapons program;
• There is no conclusive evidence that Iran has made any effort to build the bomb since 2003 , and
• Iranian leaders had made no political decision yet to build an actual weapon.
3. Based on the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s fatwa or religious decree, the use of nuclear weapons and all other types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is haram or prohibited, a sin, useless, costly, harmful and dangerous, posing a serious threat to humanity.
4. During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, Saddam Hussein authorized the use of chemical weapons against the Iranians, which killed and injured over 100,000 Iranian soldiers and civilians. Yet, even in a state of war the Iranians did not retaliate in kind because Imam Khomeini was against the use of weapons of mass destruction.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/10/16/when-the-ayatollah-said-no-to-nukes/
5. Based on Iranian assessment, the possession of nuclear weapons would provide only a short-term regional advantage that would turn into a longer-term vulnerability, because sooner or later Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia would follow suit and a regional nuclear arms race would be inescapable.
6. The technical choices Iran has made in the configuration of its nuclear program demonstrate a preference for a robust enrichment capability rather than for a rapid nuclear weapons breakout capability. Iran’s development program is focused on next-generation centrifuge technology (IR-2m), rather than mass production or maximum installation of already mastered models of IR-1s and IR-2s that if Iran was determined to acquire weapons in the near term, would be the most efficient and rapid approach.
7. The activities detailed in the November 2011 IAEA report are not directed at any specific nuclear weaponization. According to Robert Kelly, an American top nuclear expert and the former IAEA inspector the report was misleading and aimed to bolster hardliners and I quote, “by taking information and feeding it as raw meat to people who want to move forward with war.”
8. Iran recognizes that by becoming a nuclear weapons state, it will compel Russia and China to join the United States and implement devastating sanctions that would paralyze the Iranian economy.
9. Iran’s ultimate strategy is to be a modern nation with advanced technology. The majority of Iran’s prominent politicians believe that a nuclear bomb would be detrimental for Iran’s long term technological cooperation with developed countries. They do not want to see Iran come under the extreme international isolation levied against North Korea.
10. A nuclear-weapon-free zone for the Middle East was first proposed by Iran in 1974 and the main obstacle to the initiative has been Israel—the only country in the region that possessing hundreds of nuclear weapons and not a member of the NPT.
11. Iran does not possess any type of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and has signed all major treaties repudiating the possession of weapons of mass destruction. These include the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) .
12. In summer 2011, Mohamed ElBaradei, the former Director General of the IAEA for 12 years and the Nobel Peace Prize recipient stated: “I have not seen a shred of evidence that Iran has been weaponizing, in terms of building nuclear-weapons facilities and using enriched materials . . . I don’t believe Iran is a clear and present danger. All I see is the hype about the threat posed by Iran.”
Mohammed ElBaradei refused to bow before warmongers and was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet his successor, Yukiya Amano according to WikiLeaks disclosure of US Embassy cable in Vienna, described himself as ‘solidly in the U.S. court on every key strategic decision, from high-level personnel appointments to the handling of Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program’.
13. Iran recognizes that becoming a nuclear weapons state would give the Israelis ample ammunition to rally the US and the international community on a perceived existential threat to its existence for creating another war in the Middle East.
14. During nuclear negotiations from 2003-05 between Iran and France, Germany, and the UK (the EU-3), Iran submitted different proposals, which included a declaration to:
• Cap enrichment at 5 percent level;
• Export enriched uranium beyond the domestic consumption or fabricate it into fuel rods;
• Commit to additional protocol and subsidiary agreement code 3.1, which would provide the maximum level of transparency;
• Allow the IAEA to make snap inspections of nuclear facilities; and
• To ship its low enriched uranium (LEU) to another country for fabrication into fuel rods for Tehran Research Reactor (TRR).
The EU declined due to US position on “zero enrichment” in Iran.
15. The IAEA deputy director-general, Mr. Herman Nackaerts visited Iran in August 2011. He was provided with a carte blanche to visit all nuclear installations. During his visit, he requested access and permitted to the research and development facilities on advanced centrifuges and other related R&D facilities. No other country has provided the inspectors of the IAEA such level of access to its facilities—not even the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM). During his visit, he also visited the simulation activities and R&D facilities of the heavy water reactor in Arak.
Following the visits, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Foredoom Abbasi, offered to extend the IAEA carte blanche on Iran’s nuclear program and activities with full supervision for five years, provided that sanctions against Iran are lifted—however the West declined.
16. In the summer of 2011, during President Ahmadinejad, Iran welcomed the Russian step-by-step proposal, which was even beyond our initiatives in 2003-5.15 The Russian Plan required Iran to:
• Allow full supervision by the IAEA;
• Implement the IAEA additional protocol and subsidiary arrangement Code 3.1;
• Halt production of highly enriched uranium and limit enrichment to 5 percent;
• Cease installation of new centrifuges;
• Limit the number of enrichment sites to one;
• Address IAEA concerns about the “possible military dimension” of the nuclear program and other technical ambiguities. This requires Iran to give access to IAEA even beyond Additional Protocol; and
• Suspend enrichment temporarily.
That’s why the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman recently said: “Iran, in order to prove its goodwill, has even gone beyond the commitments enumerated in the agency’s regulations”. However the US and EU rejected the offer.
17. Accusation levied against Iran for stockpiling enriched uranium to build nuclear weapon are misleading, since Iran requires 27 tons of uranium enriched at 3.5 percent annually to provide fuel for its only nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Up to now, Iran has produced about 7 tons and needs an additional 20 tons.
18. The West’s biggest concern and therefore highest priority in nuclear talks have centered on Iran’s 20% enriched uranium. First in February 2010 and for the second time in Sept 2011, Iran proposed to stop its 20% enrichment in return for fuel rods—once again the West declined. Iran repeated his readiness again. "If they give us the 20 percent [enriched] fuel, we will immediately halt 20 percent [enrichment]," Ahmadinejad said in an interview with Iranian state-run television. But Europe responded to his goodwill by placing more sanctions.
19. The accusation that Iran’s stockpile of 20% enriched uranium is aimed at building nuclear weapons is also baseless. First, the IAEA considers this level of enrichment as LEU, and second reason is that Iran was left with no other avenue than to pursue self-sufficiency in the production of fuel rods for TRR following the West’s rejection of multiple Iranian offers.
20 Reasons Iran is not after Nuclear Bomb
By Ambassador Seyed Hossein Mousavian IPPNW - International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Since the beginning of Iran’s nuclear crisis, I have left no opportunity to remind my friends in the West that tough international sanctions won't stop Iran's nuclear policy and the military option would also be catastrophic. The Western interlocutors maintained the opinion that it was all a bluff and that by applying sanctions and credible threat of military strike, Iran would stop its enrichment program. Today, after almost a decade, it seems the West finally recognizes the reality about the “war option” but has failed to recognize the same for the “sanction policy.” The West’s impetus on deciding whether to opt for war or sanctions is based on the intention of Iran acquiring nuclear weapon. The question that has remained is whether Iran is ultimately after nuclear bomb or not. If the answer is no—then the West’s concerns could be alleviated through a diplomatic solution. Towards attaining a peaceful resolution to Iran’s nuclear file, the following is my reasoning as to why Iran is not after a nuclear bomb:
1. Since 2003, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has implemented the most robust inspections in its history with more than 100 unannounced and over 4000 man-day inspections in Iran. The agency has frequently declared there is no evidence of even a gram of nuclear material diverted towards building nuclear bomb.
2. The US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) in 2007 and 2011 concluded that:
• Iran does not have an active nuclear weapons program;
• There is no conclusive evidence that Iran has made any effort to build the bomb since 2003 , and
• Iranian leaders had made no political decision yet to build an actual weapon.
3. Based on the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s fatwa or religious decree, the use of nuclear weapons and all other types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is haram or prohibited, a sin, useless, costly, harmful and dangerous, posing a serious threat to humanity.
4. During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, Saddam Hussein authorized the use of chemical weapons against the Iranians, which killed and injured over 100,000 Iranian soldiers and civilians. Yet, even in a state of war the Iranians did not retaliate in kind because Imam Khomeini was against the use of weapons of mass destruction.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/10/16/when-the-ayatollah-said-no-to-nukes/
5. Based on Iranian assessment, the possession of nuclear weapons would provide only a short-term regional advantage that would turn into a longer-term vulnerability, because sooner or later Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia would follow suit and a regional nuclear arms race would be inescapable.
6. The technical choices Iran has made in the configuration of its nuclear program demonstrate a preference for a robust enrichment capability rather than for a rapid nuclear weapons breakout capability. Iran’s development program is focused on next-generation centrifuge technology (IR-2m), rather than mass production or maximum installation of already mastered models of IR-1s and IR-2s that if Iran was determined to acquire weapons in the near term, would be the most efficient and rapid approach.
7. The activities detailed in the November 2011 IAEA report are not directed at any specific nuclear weaponization. According to Robert Kelly, an American top nuclear expert and the former IAEA inspector the report was misleading and aimed to bolster hardliners and I quote, “by taking information and feeding it as raw meat to people who want to move forward with war.”
8. Iran recognizes that by becoming a nuclear weapons state, it will compel Russia and China to join the United States and implement devastating sanctions that would paralyze the Iranian economy.
9. Iran’s ultimate strategy is to be a modern nation with advanced technology. The majority of Iran’s prominent politicians believe that a nuclear bomb would be detrimental for Iran’s long term technological cooperation with developed countries. They do not want to see Iran come under the extreme international isolation levied against North Korea.
10. A nuclear-weapon-free zone for the Middle East was first proposed by Iran in 1974 and the main obstacle to the initiative has been Israel—the only country in the region that possessing hundreds of nuclear weapons and not a member of the NPT.
11. Iran does not possess any type of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and has signed all major treaties repudiating the possession of weapons of mass destruction. These include the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) .
12. In summer 2011, Mohamed ElBaradei, the former Director General of the IAEA for 12 years and the Nobel Peace Prize recipient stated: “I have not seen a shred of evidence that Iran has been weaponizing, in terms of building nuclear-weapons facilities and using enriched materials . . . I don’t believe Iran is a clear and present danger. All I see is the hype about the threat posed by Iran.”
Mohammed ElBaradei refused to bow before warmongers and was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet his successor, Yukiya Amano according to WikiLeaks disclosure of US Embassy cable in Vienna, described himself as ‘solidly in the U.S. court on every key strategic decision, from high-level personnel appointments to the handling of Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program’.
13. Iran recognizes that becoming a nuclear weapons state would give the Israelis ample ammunition to rally the US and the international community on a perceived existential threat to its existence for creating another war in the Middle East.
14. During nuclear negotiations from 2003-05 between Iran and France, Germany, and the UK (the EU-3), Iran submitted different proposals, which included a declaration to:
• Cap enrichment at 5 percent level;
• Export enriched uranium beyond the domestic consumption or fabricate it into fuel rods;
• Commit to additional protocol and subsidiary agreement code 3.1, which would provide the maximum level of transparency;
• Allow the IAEA to make snap inspections of nuclear facilities; and
• To ship its low enriched uranium (LEU) to another country for fabrication into fuel rods for Tehran Research Reactor (TRR).
The EU declined due to US position on “zero enrichment” in Iran.
15. The IAEA deputy director-general, Mr. Herman Nackaerts visited Iran in August 2011. He was provided with a carte blanche to visit all nuclear installations. During his visit, he requested access and permitted to the research and development facilities on advanced centrifuges and other related R&D facilities. No other country has provided the inspectors of the IAEA such level of access to its facilities—not even the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM). During his visit, he also visited the simulation activities and R&D facilities of the heavy water reactor in Arak.
Following the visits, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Foredoom Abbasi, offered to extend the IAEA carte blanche on Iran’s nuclear program and activities with full supervision for five years, provided that sanctions against Iran are lifted—however the West declined.
16. In the summer of 2011, during President Ahmadinejad, Iran welcomed the Russian step-by-step proposal, which was even beyond our initiatives in 2003-5.15 The Russian Plan required Iran to:
• Allow full supervision by the IAEA;
• Implement the IAEA additional protocol and subsidiary arrangement Code 3.1;
• Halt production of highly enriched uranium and limit enrichment to 5 percent;
• Cease installation of new centrifuges;
• Limit the number of enrichment sites to one;
• Address IAEA concerns about the “possible military dimension” of the nuclear program and other technical ambiguities. This requires Iran to give access to IAEA even beyond Additional Protocol; and
• Suspend enrichment temporarily.
That’s why the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman recently said: “Iran, in order to prove its goodwill, has even gone beyond the commitments enumerated in the agency’s regulations”. However the US and EU rejected the offer.
17. Accusation levied against Iran for stockpiling enriched uranium to build nuclear weapon are misleading, since Iran requires 27 tons of uranium enriched at 3.5 percent annually to provide fuel for its only nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Up to now, Iran has produced about 7 tons and needs an additional 20 tons.
18. The West’s biggest concern and therefore highest priority in nuclear talks have centered on Iran’s 20% enriched uranium. First in February 2010 and for the second time in Sept 2011, Iran proposed to stop its 20% enrichment in return for fuel rods—once again the West declined. Iran repeated his readiness again. "If they give us the 20 percent [enriched] fuel, we will immediately halt 20 percent [enrichment]," Ahmadinejad said in an interview with Iranian state-run television. But Europe responded to his goodwill by placing more sanctions.
19. The accusation that Iran’s stockpile of 20% enriched uranium is aimed at building nuclear weapons is also baseless. First, the IAEA considers this level of enrichment as LEU, and second reason is that Iran was left with no other avenue than to pursue self-sufficiency in the production of fuel rods for TRR following the West’s rejection of multiple Iranian offers.
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
20. Last but not least, Israel is the main force behind allegations levied against Iran for pursuing nuclear weapons and been on the verge of acquiring one. But it is a baseless claim which has been frequently repeated since early1990’s.
• In October 1992 the then Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said that Iran would be armed with a nuclear bomb by 1999.etanyahu wrote in his book in 1995 that Iran would possess nuclear weapons within 3 to 5 years.
• In July 2001 Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer confirmed that by the year 2005 Iran would have a nuclear bomb.
• In February 2009 Netanyahu told US congressional delegation that Iran is only one or two years away from nuclear weapons.
• In his speech at UN in September 2012, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Iran would achieve nuclear bomb by "next spring, at most by next summer.24
Based on Israeli claims Iran was supposed to have nuclear weapons in 1999, yet thirteen years later, Iran neither has a bomb nor diverted its nuclear program towards military purposes.
The reasons above should convince the West that Iran is not after a nuclear bomb and it is time to enter into a genuine, face-saving solution. Here are the main elements of a face saving solution:
1- The P5+1 would recognize the legitimate rights of Iran for enrichment under the NPT,
2- The P5+1 would gradually lift the sanctions.
In return Iran would take the following measures:
1- Operationalizing the Leader’s Fatwa or religious decree on ban of nuclear weapon.
2- Implementing Additional Protocol.
3- Implement Subsidiary Arrangements Code 3.1.
4- Cooperate with IAEA to address remaining technical ambiguities.
5- Cooperate with the IAEA to resolve Possible Military Dimension issues.
6- To realize the “Zero Stockpile Initiative”, Iran either would export the enriched stockpile beyond its domestic consumptions or convert into fuel rods.
7- Capping the Enrichment at 5%.
8- To establish a regional or multinational consortium for enrichment in Iran.
This is a package which can guarantee the legitimate rights of Iran under NPT for enrichment while ensuring the world that Iran would remain a non-nuclear weapon state forever.
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
http://www.ippnw.de/commonFiles/pdf..._Lecuter_at_IPPNW_Berlin-October_22--2012.pdf
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The point isn't that Iran is after nuke or not, actually there is no evidence to support such claims and allegations let alone to prove it. All these puffing and huffing are merely about changing Iran behavior to give in and accept American hegemony ... the rest of it is just a bitter joke ..
raptor22(PDF)
• In October 1992 the then Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said that Iran would be armed with a nuclear bomb by 1999.etanyahu wrote in his book in 1995 that Iran would possess nuclear weapons within 3 to 5 years.
• In July 2001 Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer confirmed that by the year 2005 Iran would have a nuclear bomb.
• In February 2009 Netanyahu told US congressional delegation that Iran is only one or two years away from nuclear weapons.
• In his speech at UN in September 2012, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Iran would achieve nuclear bomb by "next spring, at most by next summer.24
Based on Israeli claims Iran was supposed to have nuclear weapons in 1999, yet thirteen years later, Iran neither has a bomb nor diverted its nuclear program towards military purposes.
The reasons above should convince the West that Iran is not after a nuclear bomb and it is time to enter into a genuine, face-saving solution. Here are the main elements of a face saving solution:
1- The P5+1 would recognize the legitimate rights of Iran for enrichment under the NPT,
2- The P5+1 would gradually lift the sanctions.
In return Iran would take the following measures:
1- Operationalizing the Leader’s Fatwa or religious decree on ban of nuclear weapon.
2- Implementing Additional Protocol.
3- Implement Subsidiary Arrangements Code 3.1.
4- Cooperate with IAEA to address remaining technical ambiguities.
5- Cooperate with the IAEA to resolve Possible Military Dimension issues.
6- To realize the “Zero Stockpile Initiative”, Iran either would export the enriched stockpile beyond its domestic consumptions or convert into fuel rods.
7- Capping the Enrichment at 5%.
8- To establish a regional or multinational consortium for enrichment in Iran.
This is a package which can guarantee the legitimate rights of Iran under NPT for enrichment while ensuring the world that Iran would remain a non-nuclear weapon state forever.
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
http://www.ippnw.de/commonFiles/pdf..._Lecuter_at_IPPNW_Berlin-October_22--2012.pdf
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The point isn't that Iran is after nuke or not, actually there is no evidence to support such claims and allegations let alone to prove it. All these puffing and huffing are merely about changing Iran behavior to give in and accept American hegemony ... the rest of it is just a bitter joke ..
raptor22(PDF)
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Iran former Defense minister and current head of Iran's Supreme Security council, Admiral Ali Shamkhani , said that Iran already reveres engineered Sunburn Anti Ship cruise missile and mass product it ...
http://www.mashreghnews.ir/fa/news/440490/%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B6%DB%8C%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B4%DA%A9-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%B9%DA%A9%D8%B3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS-N-22
http://www.mashreghnews.ir/fa/news/440490/%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B6%DB%8C%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B4%DA%A9-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%B9%DA%A9%D8%B3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS-N-22
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Deal reached on Iran nuclear program, diplomats say
Vienna (CNN)After 20 months of tortuous talks, negotiators have reached a historic deal aimed at reining in Iran's nuclear program, diplomats said Tuesday.
The agreement, a focal point of U.S. President Barack Obama's foreign policy, appears set to reshape relations between Iran and the West, with its effects likely to ripple across the volatile Middle East.
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/14/politics/iran-nuclear-deal/
YEAH!:drunkb:
Vienna (CNN)After 20 months of tortuous talks, negotiators have reached a historic deal aimed at reining in Iran's nuclear program, diplomats said Tuesday.
The agreement, a focal point of U.S. President Barack Obama's foreign policy, appears set to reshape relations between Iran and the West, with its effects likely to ripple across the volatile Middle East.
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/14/politics/iran-nuclear-deal/
YEAH!:drunkb:
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Iran, Russia vs. U.S. In Verbal Clash Over Iran's Ballistic Missiles
Leaks this past week from the negotiation room in Vienna show that the issue of ballistic missiles has been brought up by Iran, with the support of Russia, in the nuclear negotiations. This is despite that fact that so far, throughout all the months of negotiations, Iran has steadfastly refused to discuss this issue, claiming that it has nothing to do with its nuclear program.
Nevertheless, at this time the Iranians have raised the issue of ballistic missiles and have demanded that the sanctions connected to them be lifted. The sanctions were imposed due to the fear that Iran is striving to develop nuclear warheads that can be mounted on ballistic missiles.
On July 8, 2015, two days before the end of the second extension of the deadline for announcing a final agreement, a Russian source close to the negotiations leaked to the Iranian news agency Mehr details about a loud verbal clash at a meeting of the sides' foreign ministers two days previously, on July 6.
It should be noted that on June 30, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had instructed Iranian President Hassan Rohani, as part of his plan for Iran's development, "to improve Iran's deterrent capability by means of expanding its missile capability."[1]
[IMG]
Photo of Zarif from July 8, 2015 Mehr report.
The following is the translation of the Mehr report:
Russian Source: Iranian FM Zarif Told Kerry: "You Are In No Position Whatsoever To Determine [Anything] About Iran's Missile Capability"
A Russian source close to the nuclear negotiations told a Mehr correspondent in Vienna: "On Monday evening [July 6], there were intensive negotiations and challenges between Iran and the members of the P5+1 around the negotiating table. At this meeting, the American negotiating team defined Iran's missile capability as a threat to Middle East stability, and demanded, in a threatening tone, that Iran submit to Washington's exact demands regarding the arms embargo on Iran and Iran's missile capability.
"In response to the open threat by the Americans, Iran's foreign minister [Javad Zarif] shouted heatedly at the American negotiating team that all the problems in the region are impacted by their actions and by the West's support for terrorists with funds and weapons. He added, 'You are in no position whatsoever to determine [anything] about Iran's missile capability.'"
Zarif To Western Colleagues: "Never Threaten An Iranian"
The Russian source added: "Following Zarif's resolute reaction, [European Union foreign policy chief Federica] Mogherini entered the conversation and threatened Iran that she would leave the negotiations. The Iranian foreign minister was not deterred, and said assertively to the Western [representatives]: 'Remember, never threaten an Iranian.'
"Zarif's assertive stance was welcomed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said immediately after him, 'Nor a Russian.'"
:russia:
Leaks From The Negotiation Room: Iran, Russia vs. U.S. In Verbal Clash Over Iran's Ballistic Missiles
http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/8654.htm
Leaks this past week from the negotiation room in Vienna show that the issue of ballistic missiles has been brought up by Iran, with the support of Russia, in the nuclear negotiations. This is despite that fact that so far, throughout all the months of negotiations, Iran has steadfastly refused to discuss this issue, claiming that it has nothing to do with its nuclear program.
Nevertheless, at this time the Iranians have raised the issue of ballistic missiles and have demanded that the sanctions connected to them be lifted. The sanctions were imposed due to the fear that Iran is striving to develop nuclear warheads that can be mounted on ballistic missiles.
On July 8, 2015, two days before the end of the second extension of the deadline for announcing a final agreement, a Russian source close to the negotiations leaked to the Iranian news agency Mehr details about a loud verbal clash at a meeting of the sides' foreign ministers two days previously, on July 6.
It should be noted that on June 30, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had instructed Iranian President Hassan Rohani, as part of his plan for Iran's development, "to improve Iran's deterrent capability by means of expanding its missile capability."[1]
[IMG]
Photo of Zarif from July 8, 2015 Mehr report.
The following is the translation of the Mehr report:
Russian Source: Iranian FM Zarif Told Kerry: "You Are In No Position Whatsoever To Determine [Anything] About Iran's Missile Capability"
A Russian source close to the nuclear negotiations told a Mehr correspondent in Vienna: "On Monday evening [July 6], there were intensive negotiations and challenges between Iran and the members of the P5+1 around the negotiating table. At this meeting, the American negotiating team defined Iran's missile capability as a threat to Middle East stability, and demanded, in a threatening tone, that Iran submit to Washington's exact demands regarding the arms embargo on Iran and Iran's missile capability.
"In response to the open threat by the Americans, Iran's foreign minister [Javad Zarif] shouted heatedly at the American negotiating team that all the problems in the region are impacted by their actions and by the West's support for terrorists with funds and weapons. He added, 'You are in no position whatsoever to determine [anything] about Iran's missile capability.'"
Zarif To Western Colleagues: "Never Threaten An Iranian"
The Russian source added: "Following Zarif's resolute reaction, [European Union foreign policy chief Federica] Mogherini entered the conversation and threatened Iran that she would leave the negotiations. The Iranian foreign minister was not deterred, and said assertively to the Western [representatives]: 'Remember, never threaten an Iranian.'
"Zarif's assertive stance was welcomed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said immediately after him, 'Nor a Russian.'"
:russia:
Leaks From The Negotiation Room: Iran, Russia vs. U.S. In Verbal Clash Over Iran's Ballistic Missiles
http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/8654.htm
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ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Iran Ballistic Missile Program is Unaffected by Nuclear Deal
According to the latest reports stemming from the P5+1 talks, Iran is now insisting that UN sanctions on its ballistic missile program be lifted as part of a long-term nuclear accord.
Iran is believed to have the largest strategic missile force in the Middle East, producing short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, a long-range cruise missile, and long-range rockets. Although all of its missiles are conventionally armed at present, its medium-range ballistic missiles could deliver a nuclear weapon if Iran were to build such a device.
http://www.businessinsider.com/iran...gram-that-nobody-is-talking-about-2015-7?IR=T
The main Iranian ballistic missile force consists of Shahab 3, Shihab 3B and the newer Sejil-2 two stage ballistic missile.
The Iranian Shahab-3B missile is said to be a derivative of the 1,000-1,300 kilometer range North Korean Nodong-1. The Nodong missile was developed by North Korea with Iranian financial assistance. In 2005 Iran claimed for the first time to have developed and produced a laser gyroscope INS system coupled with GPS as backup. With that guidance system, the Shahab-3B could archive an accuracy of around 30-50m CEP or even less. This new improved accuracy was apparently the reason why the warhead weight has been significantly decreased - to suggested 500-750kg. This, namely, is sufficient for pin-point target attack capability.
Iran has successfully tested an optimized version of the solid-fuel Sejil-2 missile. This new version of the Sejil-2 is faster during the powered flight portion of its trajectory and also during the re-entry phase. It is also harder to detect for anti-missile systems, as it is covered with anti-radar material. The new highly maneuverable missile is also more efficient as it requires less amount of time for prelaunch preparations.
| MISSILE | |
According to the latest reports stemming from the P5+1 talks, Iran is now insisting that UN sanctions on its ballistic missile program be lifted as part of a long-term nuclear accord.
Iran is believed to have the largest strategic missile force in the Middle East, producing short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, a long-range cruise missile, and long-range rockets. Although all of its missiles are conventionally armed at present, its medium-range ballistic missiles could deliver a nuclear weapon if Iran were to build such a device.
http://www.businessinsider.com/iran...gram-that-nobody-is-talking-about-2015-7?IR=T
The main Iranian ballistic missile force consists of Shahab 3, Shihab 3B and the newer Sejil-2 two stage ballistic missile.
The Iranian Shahab-3B missile is said to be a derivative of the 1,000-1,300 kilometer range North Korean Nodong-1. The Nodong missile was developed by North Korea with Iranian financial assistance. In 2005 Iran claimed for the first time to have developed and produced a laser gyroscope INS system coupled with GPS as backup. With that guidance system, the Shahab-3B could archive an accuracy of around 30-50m CEP or even less. This new improved accuracy was apparently the reason why the warhead weight has been significantly decreased - to suggested 500-750kg. This, namely, is sufficient for pin-point target attack capability.
Iran has successfully tested an optimized version of the solid-fuel Sejil-2 missile. This new version of the Sejil-2 is faster during the powered flight portion of its trajectory and also during the re-entry phase. It is also harder to detect for anti-missile systems, as it is covered with anti-radar material. The new highly maneuverable missile is also more efficient as it requires less amount of time for prelaunch preparations.
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Ok guys! it is starting:
Switzerland Lifts Sanctions Against Iran
Swiss government calls lifting of sanctions 'a sign of its support' for nuclear deal's implementation.
REUTERS - Neutral Switzerland will officially lift on Thursday sanctions against Iran that had been suspended since January 2014, the government announced on Wednesday, citing a deal last month between Tehran and six big powers to curb Iran's nuclear program.
"The Federal Council (government) wishes today's steps to be seen as a sign of its support for the implementation of the nuclear agreement and its interest in deepening bilateral relations with Iran," a statement said.
The deal that Iran struck with China, Russia, the United States, Germany, France and Britain aims to rein in Iran's nuclear program in return for relief from UN, EU and U.S. sanctions that were crippling the Islamic republic's economy.
The Swiss sanctions had banned trade in precious metals with Iranian state bodies and set requirements to report trade in Iranian petrochemical products and the transport of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products.
Switzerland will also introduce a new exemption clause that lets Berne implement UN Security Council resolutions on Iran.
The government said Switzerland wished to "promote a broad political and economic exchange with Iran" but would monitor implementation of the nuclear deal.
"Should implementation of the agreement fail, the Federal Council reserves the right to reintroduce the lifted measures," it said.
Switzerland Lifts Sanctions Against Iran World Haaretz Daily Newspaper Israel News
Switzerland Lifts Sanctions Against Iran
Swiss government calls lifting of sanctions 'a sign of its support' for nuclear deal's implementation.
REUTERS - Neutral Switzerland will officially lift on Thursday sanctions against Iran that had been suspended since January 2014, the government announced on Wednesday, citing a deal last month between Tehran and six big powers to curb Iran's nuclear program.
"The Federal Council (government) wishes today's steps to be seen as a sign of its support for the implementation of the nuclear agreement and its interest in deepening bilateral relations with Iran," a statement said.
The deal that Iran struck with China, Russia, the United States, Germany, France and Britain aims to rein in Iran's nuclear program in return for relief from UN, EU and U.S. sanctions that were crippling the Islamic republic's economy.
The Swiss sanctions had banned trade in precious metals with Iranian state bodies and set requirements to report trade in Iranian petrochemical products and the transport of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products.
Switzerland will also introduce a new exemption clause that lets Berne implement UN Security Council resolutions on Iran.
The government said Switzerland wished to "promote a broad political and economic exchange with Iran" but would monitor implementation of the nuclear deal.
"Should implementation of the agreement fail, the Federal Council reserves the right to reintroduce the lifted measures," it said.
Switzerland Lifts Sanctions Against Iran World Haaretz Daily Newspaper Israel News
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Iranian-made UAV Crashed in Balochistan Pakistan
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
My hope is that Europe will decide to lift sanctions as the accord takes effect and not link it to the US vote which is pretty much being driven by AIPAC and Netanyahu.
All going well it will make the US vote rather pointless and they will realise how much trade they are going to miss out on all for the sake of appeasing Israel.
I am still amazed that the worlds only superpower is lap dog to a parasitic middle eastern apartheid state of 5 million people, guess it shows how corrupt the worlds politicians are.
Iran states that Israel has no right to exist like Israel is going anywhere anytime soon. Iran has killed more than Israel and is a major exported of terrorism. With the oil they have they could be energy self sufficient without nuclear power. Who are they fooling and why are these nuclear facilities so far underground?
Perhaps we should talk of a real human rights crisis like the one going on in the Sudan in which millions have died (not thousands) and nobody lifts a finger. I do credit Iran with opposing ISIS, and they have every right to strengthen their military considering the neighborhood they live in. However I don't see the need for Iranian nukes. As for politicians their are corrupt politicians in virtually every country. However a big difference at least we can vote them in or out which can't be done in the M.E. with a few rare exceptions.
Perhaps we should talk of a real human rights crisis like the one going on in the Sudan in which millions have died (not thousands) and nobody lifts a finger. I do credit Iran with opposing ISIS, and they have every right to strengthen their military considering the neighborhood they live in. However I don't see the need for Iranian nukes. As for politicians their are corrupt politicians in virtually every country. However a big difference at least we can vote them in or out which can't be done in the M.E. with a few rare exceptions.
Last edited:
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Iran, Russia to Ink New Contract for Delivery of S-300 Missile System Soon
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan announced on Tuesday that a new contract for the delivery of Russian-made S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran will be signed in the coming days.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Tehran on Tuesday, Dehqan said the contract will be signed by the two sides in Russia in a week or two, adding that according to the new deal, four battalions of S-300 missiles will be delivered to Iran, instead of three battalions in the previous agreement.
He went on to say that within a short period after inking the new agreement, the missiles will be supplied to Iran.
Under a contract signed in 2007, Russia was required to provide Iran with at least five S-300 defense system batteries. In 2010, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev cancelled the contract as he came under strong US and Israeli pressure not to go ahead with the sale of the weapons system, but his pretext was that the sale was covered by the fourth round of the UN Security Council sanctions against Iran.
Elsewhere in his comments, Brigadier General Dehqan said Iran has completed a number of “significant strategic projects” in the sphere of ballistic missiles.
He also unveiled plans for the mass-production of the new generation of Iranian tanks.
According to the minister, a 500-ton submarine will be also delivered to Navy in the current Iranian year, which ends on March 20, 2016.
Earlier this month, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari had announced that Iran’s new homegrown naval gear, including missile-launching warships, destroyers, as well as squadrons of vessels and submarines, will be launched until March 2017.
http://www.tasnimnews.com/english/Home/Single/832577
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan announced on Tuesday that a new contract for the delivery of Russian-made S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran will be signed in the coming days.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Tehran on Tuesday, Dehqan said the contract will be signed by the two sides in Russia in a week or two, adding that according to the new deal, four battalions of S-300 missiles will be delivered to Iran, instead of three battalions in the previous agreement.
He went on to say that within a short period after inking the new agreement, the missiles will be supplied to Iran.
Under a contract signed in 2007, Russia was required to provide Iran with at least five S-300 defense system batteries. In 2010, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev cancelled the contract as he came under strong US and Israeli pressure not to go ahead with the sale of the weapons system, but his pretext was that the sale was covered by the fourth round of the UN Security Council sanctions against Iran.
Elsewhere in his comments, Brigadier General Dehqan said Iran has completed a number of “significant strategic projects” in the sphere of ballistic missiles.
He also unveiled plans for the mass-production of the new generation of Iranian tanks.
According to the minister, a 500-ton submarine will be also delivered to Navy in the current Iranian year, which ends on March 20, 2016.
Earlier this month, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari had announced that Iran’s new homegrown naval gear, including missile-launching warships, destroyers, as well as squadrons of vessels and submarines, will be launched until March 2017.
http://www.tasnimnews.com/english/Home/Single/832577
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Tehran, Moscow to Work Jointly on Making Warplanes: Iran’s DM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian defense minister on Tuesday said there have been talks with Russia for cooperation on manufacturing fighter jets.
Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said Russia has agreed to develop cooperation with Iran in the “joint designing and manufacturing” of aircraft after learning about the Islamic Republic’s capabilities.
“In the sphere of (manufacturing) fighter jets, we will not develop such cooperation with any country other than Russia,” he stressed.
The minister said Tehran has military ties with 35 countries including China, Iraq, Russia, Oman, India, Pakistan and Belarus, in different fields, such as technical expertise and engineering, maintenance, and the sale of military systems and weapons.
He further touched on Iran’s progress in the aviation industry, saying Tehran has plans to sell a range of homegrown Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to international customers.
“We have produced diverse drones. In this sphere, we have received offers for the sale of drones and will sell them while taking notice of the intelligence and military issues. We have good customers in the field of defense gear,” added the minister.
In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and has attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems. As part of these accomplishments, Iran’s Air Defense has been able to build a big part of its equipment and radar systems by its own experts.
Tehran has always assured other nations that its military power poses no threat to the regional countries, saying that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.
http://www.tasnimnews.com/english/Home/Single/832780
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian defense minister on Tuesday said there have been talks with Russia for cooperation on manufacturing fighter jets.
Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said Russia has agreed to develop cooperation with Iran in the “joint designing and manufacturing” of aircraft after learning about the Islamic Republic’s capabilities.
“In the sphere of (manufacturing) fighter jets, we will not develop such cooperation with any country other than Russia,” he stressed.
The minister said Tehran has military ties with 35 countries including China, Iraq, Russia, Oman, India, Pakistan and Belarus, in different fields, such as technical expertise and engineering, maintenance, and the sale of military systems and weapons.
He further touched on Iran’s progress in the aviation industry, saying Tehran has plans to sell a range of homegrown Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to international customers.
“We have produced diverse drones. In this sphere, we have received offers for the sale of drones and will sell them while taking notice of the intelligence and military issues. We have good customers in the field of defense gear,” added the minister.
In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and has attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems. As part of these accomplishments, Iran’s Air Defense has been able to build a big part of its equipment and radar systems by its own experts.
Tehran has always assured other nations that its military power poses no threat to the regional countries, saying that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.
http://www.tasnimnews.com/english/Home/Single/832780
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ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
According to this Persian news site Iran will possible be the first to receive Il-76MD-90A:
ایران، هواپیمای روسی"ایل ـ 76" خریداری می*کند +عکس - مشرق نیوز | آخرین اخبار ایران و جهان | mashreghnews.ir
ایران، هواپیمای روسی"ایل ـ 76" خریداری می*کند +عکس - مشرق نیوز | آخرین اخبار ایران و جهان | mashreghnews.ir
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Iran unveils Fateh-313 SRBM
On 31st of Mordad (22nd of August) which is known as Defense Industry day in Iran, in a ceremony at Aerospace Industries Organization a new missile named Fateh-313 was unveiled.
This new missile which is a new version of Fateh series has pinpoint accuracy and a range of 500 km.
According to Iranian officials this missile has a lighter body than its predecessors, uses new sensors and new composite solid propellants
On 31st of Mordad (22nd of August) which is known as Defense Industry day in Iran, in a ceremony at Aerospace Industries Organization a new missile named Fateh-313 was unveiled.
This new missile which is a new version of Fateh series has pinpoint accuracy and a range of 500 km.
According to Iranian officials this missile has a lighter body than its predecessors, uses new sensors and new composite solid propellants
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
U.K. Reopens Iran Embassy After Four Years as Hammond Visits
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond arrived in Tehran on Sunday to open the U.K.’s embassy in Iran four years after a mob attack shut it down, marking an improvement in diplomatic relations since July’s nuclear accord.
Police and security forces lined streets leading to the embassy for Hammond’s visit, the first by a U.K. foreign minister since 2003. He will remain in the Iranian capital with a trade delegation on Monday, the Foreign Office said in a statement. Iran’s embassy in London will also reopen on Sunday.
The nuclear agreement between Iran and global powers has eased the Islamic Republic’s isolation, which intensified under former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In 2011, a mob assaulted the U.K. embassy as well as a British residential compound in Tehran, tearing down the U.K. flag and Queen Elizabeth II’s picture, breaking windows and rifling through documents. The U.K. expelled Iranian diplomats from London.
“The opening of the embassy can create a more suitable basis, and eases the circumstances, for the relationship between Iran and European countries, including the U.K.,” Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, a senior adviser to President Hassan Rouhani, said in an interview in Tehran.
Trade Ties
The election of Rouhani in 2013 helped to ease tensions between Iran and the West. Rouhani had a popular mandate to repair an economy hurt by sanctions, and U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron told lawmakers that year he had “reached out” to Rouhani. The two met in New York last September -- the first between leaders of the countries since Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979.
The U.K. is also a signatory to last month’s nuclear deal with Iran, which lifts sanctions in return for imposing curbs on its atomic program.
“Encouraging trade and investment” will help ensure the success of the agreement, Hammond said in the Foreign Office statement. The two countries should be ready to discuss joint challenges such as regional terrorism, the spread of Islamic State and drug trafficking, he said.
Nobakht said Iran welcomes foreign investments that can bring “technology and knowledge.”Better trade ties can also help Iran’s non-oil exports access international markets, he said.
Hammond is scheduled to meet his counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran on Sunday, Iranian state radio reported.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...mbassy-after-4-year-closure-as-hammond-visits
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond arrived in Tehran on Sunday to open the U.K.’s embassy in Iran four years after a mob attack shut it down, marking an improvement in diplomatic relations since July’s nuclear accord.
Police and security forces lined streets leading to the embassy for Hammond’s visit, the first by a U.K. foreign minister since 2003. He will remain in the Iranian capital with a trade delegation on Monday, the Foreign Office said in a statement. Iran’s embassy in London will also reopen on Sunday.
The nuclear agreement between Iran and global powers has eased the Islamic Republic’s isolation, which intensified under former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In 2011, a mob assaulted the U.K. embassy as well as a British residential compound in Tehran, tearing down the U.K. flag and Queen Elizabeth II’s picture, breaking windows and rifling through documents. The U.K. expelled Iranian diplomats from London.
“The opening of the embassy can create a more suitable basis, and eases the circumstances, for the relationship between Iran and European countries, including the U.K.,” Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, a senior adviser to President Hassan Rouhani, said in an interview in Tehran.
Trade Ties
The election of Rouhani in 2013 helped to ease tensions between Iran and the West. Rouhani had a popular mandate to repair an economy hurt by sanctions, and U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron told lawmakers that year he had “reached out” to Rouhani. The two met in New York last September -- the first between leaders of the countries since Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979.
The U.K. is also a signatory to last month’s nuclear deal with Iran, which lifts sanctions in return for imposing curbs on its atomic program.
“Encouraging trade and investment” will help ensure the success of the agreement, Hammond said in the Foreign Office statement. The two countries should be ready to discuss joint challenges such as regional terrorism, the spread of Islamic State and drug trafficking, he said.
Nobakht said Iran welcomes foreign investments that can bring “technology and knowledge.”Better trade ties can also help Iran’s non-oil exports access international markets, he said.
Hammond is scheduled to meet his counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran on Sunday, Iranian state radio reported.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...mbassy-after-4-year-closure-as-hammond-visits
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Iran says it shot down reconnaissance drone as officials unveil updated missile
In an official photo released on Saturday, Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani, left, briefs the media after unveiling the surface-to-surface Fateh-313, or Conqueror, missile. Photograph: AP
Associated Press in Tehran
Iran’s official IRNA news agency said on Saturday the country’s military had shot down a reconnaissance drone in western Iran near the border with Iraq.
IRNA quoted Colonel Farzad Fereidouni, a local air defense system commander, in a report as saying the unmanned aircraft was shot down in recent days after it “confronted” the air defense missile system. He did not say which country the drone belonged to, or give specifics on the timing.
Iran has claimed to have captured several US drones in recent years, including an advanced RQ-170 Sentinel CIA spy drone in December 2011 and at least three Boeing-designed ScanEagle aircraft.
Iran said last year it had successfully tested its copy of the RQ-170 drone based on one it captured. Tehran has said it is also copying the ScanEagle.
Iran also unveiled a short-range solid fuel ballistic missile on Saturday, an upgraded version that the government said could more accurately pinpoint targets.
The surface-to-surface Fateh-313, or Conqueror, was unveiled at a ceremony marking Defense Industry Day and attended by President Hassan Rouhani, who said military might was necessary to achieve peace in the volatile Middle East.
State television showed footage of the missile being fired from an undisclosed location. The missile is a newer version of Fateh-110 and has a quicker launch capability, a longer lifespan and can strike targets with pinpoint accuracy within a 500km (310-mile) range, the report said.
United Nations security council resolution 2231, which endorsed a landmark nuclear deal reached between Iran and world powers last month, has called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Iran says none of its missiles are designed for that purpose.
The resolution also contains an arms embargo against Iran for the next eight years, but it’s not part of the historic nuclear deal. Iran has said it won’t abide by that part of the resolution and Rouhani reconfirmed it Saturday.
“We will buy weapons from anywhere we deem necessary. We won’t wait for anybody’s permission or approval and won’t look at any resolution. And we will sell weapons to anywhere we deem necessary,” he said in comments broadcast live on state television Saturday.
Rouhani said Iran could not remain passive when instability has spread in neighbouring countries.
“Can we be indifferent ... when there are special circumstances on our eastern, western, northern and southern borders?” he said, apparently referring to fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere in the region.
“How can a weak country unable to stand up to the military power of neighbors, rivals and enemies achieve peace?”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/22/iran-shoots-down-drone-missile-iraq
In an official photo released on Saturday, Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani, left, briefs the media after unveiling the surface-to-surface Fateh-313, or Conqueror, missile. Photograph: AP
Associated Press in Tehran
Iran’s official IRNA news agency said on Saturday the country’s military had shot down a reconnaissance drone in western Iran near the border with Iraq.
IRNA quoted Colonel Farzad Fereidouni, a local air defense system commander, in a report as saying the unmanned aircraft was shot down in recent days after it “confronted” the air defense missile system. He did not say which country the drone belonged to, or give specifics on the timing.
Iran has claimed to have captured several US drones in recent years, including an advanced RQ-170 Sentinel CIA spy drone in December 2011 and at least three Boeing-designed ScanEagle aircraft.
Iran said last year it had successfully tested its copy of the RQ-170 drone based on one it captured. Tehran has said it is also copying the ScanEagle.
Iran also unveiled a short-range solid fuel ballistic missile on Saturday, an upgraded version that the government said could more accurately pinpoint targets.
The surface-to-surface Fateh-313, or Conqueror, was unveiled at a ceremony marking Defense Industry Day and attended by President Hassan Rouhani, who said military might was necessary to achieve peace in the volatile Middle East.
State television showed footage of the missile being fired from an undisclosed location. The missile is a newer version of Fateh-110 and has a quicker launch capability, a longer lifespan and can strike targets with pinpoint accuracy within a 500km (310-mile) range, the report said.
United Nations security council resolution 2231, which endorsed a landmark nuclear deal reached between Iran and world powers last month, has called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Iran says none of its missiles are designed for that purpose.
The resolution also contains an arms embargo against Iran for the next eight years, but it’s not part of the historic nuclear deal. Iran has said it won’t abide by that part of the resolution and Rouhani reconfirmed it Saturday.
“We will buy weapons from anywhere we deem necessary. We won’t wait for anybody’s permission or approval and won’t look at any resolution. And we will sell weapons to anywhere we deem necessary,” he said in comments broadcast live on state television Saturday.
Rouhani said Iran could not remain passive when instability has spread in neighbouring countries.
“Can we be indifferent ... when there are special circumstances on our eastern, western, northern and southern borders?” he said, apparently referring to fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere in the region.
“How can a weak country unable to stand up to the military power of neighbors, rivals and enemies achieve peace?”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/22/iran-shoots-down-drone-missile-iraq
Last edited:
ShahryarHedayatiSHBA
Active member
Iran Begins Mass Production of ‘Nasr’ Air-Launched Anti Ship Cruise Missile
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran started producing the air-launched version of its homegrown cruise missile Nasr (Victory) in the assembly line.
Speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony to inaugurate the production line of the cruise missile on Tuesday, Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said the mass production of Nasr Missile is part of the country’s strategy to enhance its missile capabilities and upgrade its deterrent power.
Nasr had been originally designed and manufactured as an anti-ship cruise missile, but the country's experts managed to upgrade it to be employed for aerial missions.
According to the minister, the air-launched version of Nasr can be mounted on different types of fighter jets.
The missile will need no additional guided controls, allowing the warplane to immediately leave the danger zone after launching the projectile, Dehqan explained.
Thanks to its radar tracking system, Nasr can hit the targets with high precision, he added.
The new achievement “dramatically boosts the operational and tactical capabilities” of the Army and IRGC* air forces, Dehqan stressed.
The minister also noted that plans are underway to install the air-launched cruise missile on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Iran had unveiled the air-launched version of Qader (Capable) and Nasr cruise missiles in September 2013. They are capable of hitting targets within a range of 200 km and 35 km, respectively.
The main features of the missiles are quick preparation capability, usefulness in low-altitude flights, high precision in hitting targets, particularly naval vessels, great destructive power and high resistance to radio disruption tactics.
commentary : Nasr is an AShM with a range of 35 km, it was initially tested in 2008 and entered mass production in 2010, the air launched version of Nasr was unveiled in 2013 and have undergone tests since then, it has now entered mass production.
--------------------------------------------------------------
This is the same missile that was used on July 14, 2006, in the 2006 Lebanon War when Hezbollah fired at Israeli warships. The missile hit the Sa'ar 5-class corvette , INS Hanit
causing significant damage and four fatalities.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran started producing the air-launched version of its homegrown cruise missile Nasr (Victory) in the assembly line.
Speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony to inaugurate the production line of the cruise missile on Tuesday, Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said the mass production of Nasr Missile is part of the country’s strategy to enhance its missile capabilities and upgrade its deterrent power.
Nasr had been originally designed and manufactured as an anti-ship cruise missile, but the country's experts managed to upgrade it to be employed for aerial missions.
According to the minister, the air-launched version of Nasr can be mounted on different types of fighter jets.
The missile will need no additional guided controls, allowing the warplane to immediately leave the danger zone after launching the projectile, Dehqan explained.
Thanks to its radar tracking system, Nasr can hit the targets with high precision, he added.
The new achievement “dramatically boosts the operational and tactical capabilities” of the Army and IRGC* air forces, Dehqan stressed.
The minister also noted that plans are underway to install the air-launched cruise missile on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Iran had unveiled the air-launched version of Qader (Capable) and Nasr cruise missiles in September 2013. They are capable of hitting targets within a range of 200 km and 35 km, respectively.
The main features of the missiles are quick preparation capability, usefulness in low-altitude flights, high precision in hitting targets, particularly naval vessels, great destructive power and high resistance to radio disruption tactics.
commentary : Nasr is an AShM with a range of 35 km, it was initially tested in 2008 and entered mass production in 2010, the air launched version of Nasr was unveiled in 2013 and have undergone tests since then, it has now entered mass production.
--------------------------------------------------------------
This is the same missile that was used on July 14, 2006, in the 2006 Lebanon War when Hezbollah fired at Israeli warships. The missile hit the Sa'ar 5-class corvette , INS Hanit
causing significant damage and four fatalities.