India and Iran: Friends?

By landing his plane in New Delhi on what was to have been a routine refueling stop, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has provoked a diplomatic contretemps between India and the U.S. that reveals the fragility of their emerging alliance. New Delhi remains deeply wary over being seen to be doing Washington's bidding when it comes to dealing with other countries.

The furor began when New Delhi received a request for Ahmadinejad's plane to make refueling stop on a flight home from Sri Lanka. The Indian government, which has of late been remedying its prolonged neglect of the West Asian region, pounced on the opportunity to host the Iranian President. Turning the six-hour stopover into an official visit, the government hoped, would also smooth the ruffled feathers of its leftist coalition partners, who have accused the government of betraying old friends like Iran and pandering to the U.S. ever since India voted at the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005 to refer Iran's nuclear program to the U.N. Security Council. Also, with negotiations over a $7 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline stalling, India saw the visit as a chance to breathe life back into a project desperately needed by energy-starved India.

But the announcement that Ahmedinejad would be feted in New Delhi didn't pass without comment from Washington. State Department spokesperson Tom Casey, in reply to a question, said: "We would hope that the Indian government... would call on [Ahmadinejad] to meet the requirements that the Security Council and the international community has placed on him in terms of suspending their uranium enrichment activities and complying with the other requirements regarding their nuclear programme." That statement piqued India's Ministry of External Affairs, which responded: "India and Iran are ancient civilizations whose relations span centuries. Both nations are perfectly capable of managing all aspects of their relationship with the appropriate degree of care and attention." In a sharper tone, the statement added: "Neither country needs any guidance on the future conduct of bilateral relations as both countries believe that engagement and dialogue alone lead to peace." Washington quickly moved to defuse the tension, with Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher saying the issue had been blown out of proportion: "It's up to every country to determine for itself how it's going to organize its bilateral relations."

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India and Iran seem to be strengthening diplomatic ties. It is believed that "energy-starved India" is trying to enrich their energy project.

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Israel Determined to Stop Iran's Nuclear Development

JERUSALEM - In the clearest indication yet that Israel now believes Iran's nuclear aspirations will be curbed, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that efforts being undertaken by the international community will ensure that Tehran does not acquire nuclear capability.

In a series of interviews on the eve of the Passover holiday, Olmert sounded the same message: Iran will not get the bomb. "I want to tell the citizens of Israel: Iran will not have nuclear capability," he told the daily Ha'aretz newspaper.

"The international community is making an enormous effort - in which we have a part, but which is being led by the international community - so that Iran will not attain non-conventional capability. And I believe, and also know, that the bottom line of these efforts is that Iran will not be nuclear..."

Tehran insists its nuclear program is civilian in nature and is meant to generate power. But Israel believes Iran is bent on developing nuclear weapons. Threats by Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to "wipe Israel off the map" have further heightened fears in the Jewish state.

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Relations between Israel and Iran continue to worsen. Iran's nuclear program strikes a sore spot for Israel, and Israel is determined to stifle the growth of the nuclear program.

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New Development in 9/11 Tragedy

Al Qaeda's No. 2 leader issued a new audiotape Tuesday accusing Shiite Iran of spreading a conspiracy theory about who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks to discredit the power of the Sunni terrorist network.

Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's deputy, has stepped up his denunciations of Iran in recent messages in part to depict al Qaeda as the Arabs' top defense against the Persian nation's rising power in the Middle East.

The increasing enmity toward Iran is a notable change of rhetoric from al-Zawahiri, who in the past rarely mentioned the country - apparently in hopes he would be able to forge some sort of understanding with Tehran based on their common rivalry with the United States. Iran has long sought to distance itself from al Qaeda.

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Iran has attempted to separate itself from all organizations that were somehow involved in the September 11 tragedy in order to avoid international feelings of distaste. However, the sudden mention of Iran's involvement in the disaster can only increase feelings of distrust, which causes many to wonder what will eventually become of Iran.

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Iran ready to discuss nuclear dispute

"TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran is ready to discuss its nuclear programme with any country but will not yield to international pressure to halt the atomic work, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a rally on Wednesday.

"The Iranian nation is in favour of talks to resolve the (nuclear) issue with any of you (countries). We will slap those who want Iran to abandon its right (to nuclear technology) on the mouth," Ahmadinejad said in a televised address in the western city of Hamedan.

Ahmadinejad in March ruled out any talks with the West over Iran's disputed nuclear programme, saying Iran would only discuss the issue with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the IAEA.

Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Russia and China want EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana to meet Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, to try to reopen talks on offers of incentives for Iran to halt its work.

But Iran, the world's fourth-largest crude exporter, says the nuclear programme aims to produce electricity so it can sell more of its oil and gas abroad."

This article shows the continuing dispute of what Iran's intentions are with its nuclear program. The fact that the country is willing to discuss its program with foreign nations, shows that there might be some resolution to the conflict in the near future.

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Clinton, Obama tackle Iran issue in debate

"PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The United States should offer to protect countries in the Middle East from Iran if those countries forgo nuclear weapons of their own, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday.

Clinton, a senator from New York, and rival Barack Obama, a senator from Illinois, reaffirmed their commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and held out the possibility of military action if Tehran attacked Israel.

Clinton, who has painted herself as stronger on foreign policy issues than Obama, said Washington should bring other Middle Eastern nations in addition to Israel under a security "umbrella" to create a deterrent against an Iranian threat.

"I think that we should be looking to create an umbrella of deterrence that goes much further than just Israel," she said.

"We will let the Iranians know, that, yes, an attack on Israel would trigger massive retaliation, but so would an attack on those countries that are willing to go under the security umbrella and forswear their own nuclear ambitions." '

New tensions between Israel and Iran have offered the U.S. political candidates a new area for debate. It is likely that these debates will offer little constructive advice, but rather an opportunity to badger each other senselessly.

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Olmert says Iran will never be a nuclear power

"JERUSALEM (AFP) — Iran will never become a nuclear power, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quoted on Thursday as saying, as Iran's president was proclaiming his country the "most powerful nation" on earth.

Last week, Israeli National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer warned that any Iranian attack against Israel "would lead to the destruction of the Iranian nation."

That prompted a response from the deputy commander of Iran's army, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, that his country would "eliminate Israel from the global arena" if it were attacked by the Jewish state.

Ahmadinejad said all the branches of the armed forces would react forcefully in response to any attack against Iran, and boasted that no one would dare to launch a strike on the country.

The United States and Israel, the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, accused Iran of using its civilian nuclear power programme as a cover for attempting to develop an atomic bomb." '

This article shows the rising tension between Israel and Iran. Israel and Iran are eexchanging verbal attacks that might change into armed conflict much the way of the Iraq-Iran conflict.

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Iran: A Strong Military Force

TEHRAN (AFP) — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday proclaimed Iran as the "most powerful nation" on earth as the country's air force showed off its prowess at a time of mounting tension with the West.

"Iran is the most powerful and independent nation in the world," Ahmadinejad told a military parade outside Tehran marking the Islamic republic's annual Army Day, reaffirming one of his favoured slogans.

Ahmadinejad said all the branches of the armed forces would react forcefully in response to any attack against Iran's soil and boasted that no one would dare to launch a strike on the country...

Ahmadinejad repeated his belief that the power of Iran meant the prevailing world order was set to be turned on its head.

"Thanks to the resistance of the Iranian people, the great powers have become bogged down. The region and the world must prepare for great changes and the disappearance of satanic powers."

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Ahmadinejad's boasts over Iran's military strength strikes a soft spot for Americans, and the Iranian air force's display of power only helped to build the tension between the countries. The question remains: What will happen between the U.S. and Iran in the near future?

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Security Talks Failing

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iraq's Foreign Minister says efforts to bring together US and Iranian officials to discuss security in Iraq are faltering due to conflicts of timing and schedules.

Iraq is pressing for a fourth meeting that has yet to be scheduled. Hoshyar Zebari said the two sides need to stick to an agreed date.

He further reminded Iraqi officials had managed to get Iran and the US to agree on four dates, but none of them worked because of scheduling reasons...

The US and Iranian ambassadors held the first round of talks in May, a rare meeting between the two countries, which have not had formal relations since early after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution...

The United States and Iran broke diplomatic relations in April 1980, after Iranian students seized the United States' espionage center at its embassy in the heart of Tehran. The two countries have had tense relations ever since.

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After losing friendly ties in 1980, the relationship between the United States and Iran has been rather bitter, to say the least. Will the two countries ever make peace with each other?

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Iran Wants to Join SCO

With an illogical analysis, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher has recently criticized regional cooperation in the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and particularly Iran’s request for membership in the SCO. Based on a long-term forecast -- those which most often turn out to be wrong -- he has expressed concern over these issues.

Failing to take the entirety of the SCO’s comprehensive goals into account, Boucher underlines its security objective and says that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is not a Warsaw Pact and if it moves in that direction, the U.S. will take action. Referring to Iran’s request for membership in the SCO, he said that even if the SCO accepts Iran as a new member in order to make the organization more powerful, the consequences of Iran’s membership in the SCO will depend on the nature of cooperation in the organization...

Iran’s interest in joining the SCO is in line with the country’s moderate foreign policy because, along with its efforts to join the SCO bloc, Iran has made several unprecedented and successful moves to strengthen ties with regional organizations in other parts of the globe -- from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council to Latin American and African organizations.

Iran’s membership in the SCO is meant to promote cooperation rather than to exercise influence over the organization’s alignment and as such it enjoys full international legitimacy and national and global support. The accession of Iran as an observer member and President Mahmud Ahmadinejad’s invitation to the most recent SCO summit in China were strong steps SCO members have taken for Iran’s accession as a full member of the SCO.

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Iran has requested membership into the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization), which has caused Richard Boucher some concern. The Middle Eastern country's membership "is meant to promote cooperation rather than to exercise influence over the organization's alignment"; in other words, Iran's joining the SCO should not change the layout of the organization. If anything, their membership should facilitate cooperation among the countries within the organization.

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Iran will eliminate Israel if it attacks: agency

"TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will eliminate Israel if it launches a military attack on the Islamic state, a senior army commander was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Deputy commander-in-chief Mohammad Reza Ashtiani was echoing Iran's late founder of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who said Israel should be wiped off the map.

statement by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying "Israel should be wiped off the map", outraged the international community.

Support for the Palestinian cause is a central pillar of the Islamic Republic which officially has refused to recognize Israel's right to exist since the Islamic Revolution.

Tehran denies accusations it trains and arms Palestinian militant groups, saying it only offers only moral support." '

This article foreshadows a possible militaristic confrontation between Israel and Iran. These verbal attacks from Iran are an example of the continuing conflict between worshipers Judaism and Islam.

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Assessment Complete

Iran denies confrontation at sea with U.S. Navy

"TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran denied a report that several of its boats taunted a U.S. Navy vessel in the Persian Gulf on Thursday night, according to IRNA, Iran's official news agency.

A U.S. military official told CNN Friday that the USS Typhoon, a small patrol craft, was approached by three small Iranian boats in a "taunting manner."

"There has been no confrontation between Iranian boats and the U.S. [Fifth] Fleet," IRNA quoted an unnamed Iranian source as saying.

The U.S. military source said U.S. Navy officers conducted bridge-to-bridge communications with the Iranian boats and two of them then turned away. But one came within 200 yards of the Typhoon, prompting it to fire a warning flare. The Iranian boat then turned away.

IRNA said the U.S. media "tries to portray the Persian Gulf as a turbulent area in order to prepare the grounds for the permanent presence of U.S. forces in the region." '

This article shows the safety precaution tken by Iran when U.S. boat entered the country's waters. Even though none was injured or killed, the media describes the Persian Gulf region as an area of geat violence.

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Defiant Iran expands nuclear operation

"TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran has begun installing 6,000 new centrifuges at its uranium enrichment plant in Natanz, state television quoted President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying Tuesday.

The U.S. immediately criticized the announcement as an example of Iran's continued defiance of international demands that it suspend uranium enrichment, which can produce fuel for a nuclear reactor or fissile material for a weapon.

Iran already has about 3,000 centrifuges operating at its underground nuclear facility in Natanz, and the U.N. has passed three sets of sanctions against Iran for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment. Tehran insists its nuclear program is focused on the peaceful production of energy, not the development of weapons as claimed by the U.S. and many of its allies.

State television also quoted Ahmadinejad as saying that "we have reached new achievements" in Natanz that he would announce later Tuesday.

The president's trip was scheduled to coincide with Iran's National Day of Nuclear Technology, marking the second anniversary of Iran's first enrichment of uranium."

Iran's construction of these new centrifuges shows the country's ongoing defiance towards U.N. sanctions. Repeated by Iran many times before, uranium enrichment is for peaceful means, not to build nuclear weapons.

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With al-Qaeda on the run, Bush turns focus to Iran

"The Iraq war has featured a changing cast of U.S. adversaries. Saddam Hussein. Sunni insurgents. Foreign fighters. Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

In the latest shift, the two top U.S. officials in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, focused in this week's congressional testimony on "special groups" — Iranian-backed militias — as the greatest long-term threat to Iraqi democracy.

On Thursday, President Bush endorsed the officials' troop recommendations and again recast the enemy. Iraq, he said toward the end of his speech, is "the convergence point for two of the greatest threats to America in this new century: al-Qaeda and Iran."

Dealing with Iran, and the militias it backs, is not as straightforward as dealing with al-Qaeda. Iran is a country, not a terror network. It's a rising power in the region, vying for influence with the United States. It has the potential to make great mischief, both in Iraq and through its sponsorship of Middle East militants.


In fact, the United States and Iran are facing off in a duel almost as complex as that between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. This requires a whole range of tools, beyond Bush's bellicose warning on Thursday that Tehran "has a choice to make." One key is to reinforce the sense of nationalism among Iraqi Shiites, many of whom are wary of too much Iranian influence, don't want to be sucked into the extremism of Iran's ayatollahs and have lingering resentment from the Iran-Iraq war."

This article shows the United States' growing fear of Iran's presence in Iraq. Though Iran has been instigating Iraqi's against the United States, it will not be as sraightforward it was for the United States to control Iran as it was to control Iraq.

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Iran: Too Important to Ignore

There was a time not too long ago that Iran was viewed as little more than a nuisance. It was a moderately significant player in the Middle East but not powerful or plugged-in enough to be taken seriously as a regional power.


It could only count Syria as an ally, it had very few other solid links with the Arab world, it was still smarting from the cost of the eight-year-long war with Iraq, and was still finding its way in a post-Cold War world. Ten years ago, a relatively passive policy of containment was deemed a sufficient response to Iran: hemming it in through various trade and financial sanctions and a regular U.S. naval deterrent force patrolling the waters of the Gulf.


Today, little happens internationally without an Iran angle. President Hugo Chavez talks oil politics. Hamas wins an openly contested election in Palestine. Hezbollah and Israel come to blows. Oil prices go up. Iraq burns. In every case, Iran is somehow implicated...


It is vital that we understand the enduring, centuries-long relationship between regional geopolitics and strategic Iranian interests and learn to act on it for the sake of regional stability - regardless of what leaders, moderate or extremist, happen to be in charge in Tehran. Iran's policies are as much a product of regional circumstances as they are domestic imperatives.

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This article discusses Iran's initial role as a "nuisance" and their rise to international infamy. The article serves as a harsh reminder that Iran can no longer be ignored; the United States and other countries must now keep Iran at the forefront.

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More Threats on Iran

In his speech on Thursday, Bush wasted little time before getting to the ominous subject of Iran. Time and time again, he lumped the alleged threat from Iran in the same breadth as the one from Al Qaeda, once again fusing enemies in the minds of the American people. “Serious and complex challenges remain in Iraq, from the presence of Al Qaeda to the destructive influence of Iran,” he said, even before declaring that the surge has “renewed and revived the prospect of success...”

“The regime in Tehran also has a choice to make,” Bush said. “It can live in peace with its neighbor, enjoy strong economic and cultural and religious ties. Or it can continue to arm and train and fund illegal militant groups, which are terrorizing the Iraqi people and turning them against Iran. If Iran makes the right choice, America will encourage a peaceful relationship between Iran and Iraq. Iran makes the wrong choice, America will act to protect our interests, and our troops, and our Iraqi partners...”

This man is planning on waging another illegal war, and we need to do all that we can, nonviolently, to stop him.

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As Bush continues to make more threats on Iran, the possibility of war with the Middle Eastern country grows. His plans to "protect our interests" may very well lead to the loss of more American lives and more destruction.

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Strong Iranian Influence in Iraq

WASHINGTON, April 10 (UPI) -- Testimony by top U.S. officials in Iraq translates the mission there from a fight against al-Qaida to one against the "nefarious activities" of the Iranians. U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus and the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker described the Iranian influence in Iraq as "the greatest long-term threat to the viability" of the Iraqi government, David Ignatius wrote in The Washington Post.

Deterring the Iranian influence in Iraq became the latest justification behind U.S. military strategy in Iraq as al-Qaida numbers dwindle to around 5,000 or so hard-core elements.

The statement by Petraeus that military assessments in Iraq would be ongoing suggests the military strategy by the Bush administration is in a holding pattern as the United States waits out the final days of his presidency, Ignatius said.

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The United States is becoming much more tense as the Iranian influence in Iraq continues to grow. US leaders believe that the best course of action is to deter this influence.

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