Iranian President makes clear why Iran would be a responsible nuclear power

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by GePap


I am glad it heartens your sensitivities that western states are angry about the speech. Great. The only question that matters is whether it makes any difference in policy for anyone,

You expect Tony Blair and Jaques Chirac to announce an invasion of Iran? It dont work that way.

Diplomacy is a more subtle chess game. The Iran case is before the IAEA, and is likely to end up before the UNSC. This will make it easier for the west to push a little harder, and will make it costlier for anyone trying to defend Iran. Note well the statements from Russia - this is embarrassing for them, and makes it costlier for them to continue to act as Irans advocate. Whether they will choose to bear the cost or not is not clear. If they dont, that will be a major change in the diplomatic configuration. If they do, that will add to the strains between Russia and the EU.

[lord of the mark]

BBC
'Those who insist on transferring the Iranian nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council have received an additional argument for doing so," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a trip to Jordan'


But then poly posters are so much better analysts of foreign affairs than the Foreign Minister of Russia. So much wasted talent.

[GePap]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


If you think that France and Germany were "aligned" against Iran until fairly recently, I want some of what youre smoking.

Have you NOT been following the whole Uranium situation?

Of course, I guess only LotM can accurately gague political alignments.

[GePap]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
BBC
'Those who insist on transferring the Iranian nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council have received an additional argument for doing so," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a trip to Jordan'


But then poly posters are so much better analysts of foreign affairs than the Foreign Minister of Russia. So much wasted talent.

And will Sergei now allow for a threat of immidiate sanctions? Oh, woops.

AND POST LINKS FOR GOD'S SAKE!

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by GePap




Have you NOT been following the whole Uranium situation?

Of course, I guess only LotM can accurately gague political alignments.

I said "until fairly recently"

Heres a link that can help with your problem.

http://www.reader-rabbit.com/

[GePap]

Congrats! A link appears. BRAVO.

Oh, and by the way, the only thing that matters is the current situation. French behavior in 2004 means **** when you are discussing reactions to a speech done in Oct 2005.

Oh, and since you must be an avid user of that site you linked too, I assume you also understand what I meant by my link comment

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by GePap
Congrats! A link appears. BRAVO.

Oh, and by the way, the only thing that matters is the current situation. French behavior in 2004 means **** when you are discussing reactions to a speech done in Oct 2005.

Oh, and since you must be an avid user of that site you linked too, I assume you also understand what I meant by my link comment

Go find the f**king articles yourself. Theyre from standard sources all of them. If you were really trying to keep informed about this region you would have read them already. Im not your research assistant.

Yes, France and Germany were already moving away from Iran in recent months, due to Irans behavior. This reinforces that movement, pushes it further, and in particular puts Russia in the hot seat.

[GePap]

I am sorry for asking for common posting ettiquete.

As for Russia being in a hot seat. Hardly. These are the same guys who recently stated they won't countenance sanctions vs Syria. Russia is sitting pretty with all that oil. Who is Europe going to buy from? Iran?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by GePap
I am sorry for asking for common posting ettiquete.

As for Russia being in a hot seat. Hardly. These are the same guys who recently stated they won't countenance sanctions vs Syria. Russia is sitting pretty with all that oil. Who is Europe going to buy from? Iran?

Oil is a fungible commodity. Russia will sell oil, and Europe will buy it, at the world price. Russia wants more than to sell its oil, it wants geopolitical influence. It put a considerable effort in the last few years into a French-German-Russian axis. Thats falling apart, over several issues, of which this is one - Lebanon is another one. The Foreign Minister of Russia publicly expressed his opinion, and I'll take his word over yours.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by GePap
I am sorry for asking for common posting ettiquete.

Im not taking etiquette lessons from you.

Heres some more info, for those who want it.

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran was hit by a barrage of Western condemnation after its hardline president called for Israel to be "wiped off the map", but the clerical regime struck back with yet more verbal attacks against the Jewish state.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech, delivered Wednesday at a conference entitled "The World without Zionism", came just hours before a suicide bombing in Israel and provoked fresh fears that Iran has a covert nuclear weapons programme.

The European Union said Thursday that the comments -- the first time in years that such a high-ranking Iranian official has openly called for Israel's annihilation -- were "despicable and unacceptable" and "inconsistent with any claim to be a mature and responsible member of the international community".

Iran's ambassadors to Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands were also summoned by those countries' respective foreign ministries to hear official protests -- a sign of deteriorating relations between Tehran and the 25-member bloc.

A Foreign Office spokesman in London said Ahmadinejad's "sickening" remarks will "heighten concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions".

Russia, which has backed Iran's claim to generate nuclear power despite the risk it would acquire bomb-making technology, acknowledged that Ahmadinejad's speech gave "an additional argument" to nations calling for Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council.

And Israel, which alleges Iran is seeking nuclear weapons and long-range missiles, said the Islamic republic should be expelled from the United Nations.

But Iran's regime was unrepentant, confirming its dramatic shift to the right that came with Ahmadinejad's shock election win in June.

The spokesman of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Seyed Massoud Jazihiri, backed up Ahmadinejad by describing Israel as a "cancerous tumour".

He said the West "was right to be afraid, because two decades ago when the Imam (Khomeini) called for Israel to be wiped off the map they thought it was a slogan, but as time passes we are seeing signs of unity in the Islamic world."

"We have no doubts that at the end of the road, the victory of Muslims and the defeat of Israel is inevitable," Jazihiri told the Fars news agency.

Iran's foreign ministry also ordered its diplomats to lodge official protests over Europe's attitude toward "Zionist crimes".

"In protest at the exacerbation of the Zionist regime's crimes and its suppression of the Palestinian nation, Iran's embassies in Western countries were instructed to convey Iran's strong protest to European governments for their indifference towards the issue," the foreign ministry said.

[lord of the mark]

Kofi Annan chimes in

'Annan expresses 'dismay' over Iran call for destruction of Israel

By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan reprimanded Iran's president Thursday for calling for the destruction of Israel.

Annan expressed "dismay" over President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments Wednesday calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map."

"Israel is a long-standing member of the United Nations with the same rights and obligations as every other member," Annan said in a statement.


The UN Charter is opposed to threats or use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of any state, he said. Annan said he plans to visit Iran in "the next few weeks" and would put the Middle East peace process and the right of all states to live in peace and security within secure borders at the top of his agenda.

Annan's comments came amid widespread condemnation by European Union leaders and several European countries, as well as the United States, Canada and Australia. Israel, meanwhile, called for Iran's expulsion from the United Nations.


< snip >



Arab governments, however, maintained silence Thursday over Ahmadinejad's statements, but analysts said Tehran's Arab rivals may quietly be pleased to see the radical regime further isolated by its extremism.

[Bereta_Eder]

He said a world without the US and Israel is certaintly possible.


Well duh.

[Bereta_Eder]

BTW when the religious revolution happened in Iran since the oil exploitation from the US/UK and their support for the absolutist regime had come to boiling point didn't the US backed Sadam to attack Iran thus causing huge more deaths?

[Bereta_Eder]

Wait and since Israel is the US errants boy in the middle east won't Iran's regime hatred reflect on Israel too?

Logical.

[Arrian]

Well, this was pretty much the equivalent of mooning the (western) international community. It's the sort of remark that makes Dubya look smooth and sophisticated.

-Arrian