Iran threatens the United States "with harm and pain" as 'brother' Mohammed Al Baradei of the IAEA asks Teheran to be nice

MIM: One cannot help but wonder when the United States is going to cotton on to the fact that Mohammed Al Baradei is the reason that Iran is now in a position to restart their nuclear program and threatening attacks on the United States. This also begs the question how El Baradei, who was elected for a second term last year has now brought the world to the brink of a nuclear confrontation and allowed Israel to be threatened with annihilation by Iran.

"...Intelligence services in the West are convinced that Iran is taking covert means to develop nuclear weapons, in addition to the nuclear program under the partial supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Russian intelligence apparently agrees with this assessment.

According to the IAEA interim report from late February, a document was found that alludes to Iranian attempts to create the components of an atomic bomb. (see complete article below) For more on El Baradei see:

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Nasserite Mohammed Al Baradei urges diplomacy after Iran threat to ...

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Israeli defense experts say Iran could have bomb in 1- 3 years ...

Articles - Militant Islam Monitor

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article350101.ece

Iran threatens US with 'pain' if sanctions begin

By Anne Penketh, Diplomatic Editor

Published: 09 March 2006

Iran threatened America with "harm and pain" if sanctions were imposed as Tehran was finally referred to the UN Security Council for action over its suspected nuclear weapons programme.

A senior Iranian official warned: "The United States may have the power to cause harm and pain but it is also susceptible to harm and pain. So if the United States wishes to choose that path, let the ball roll."

The official, Javad Vaeedi, was speaking on the sidelines of a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, which wound up yesterday by seeking formal action by the Security Council, after months of delay because of resistance from Russia and China. Asked whether the Islamic Republic would use an "oil weapon", Mr Vaeedi said: "We will not [do so now], but if the situation changes, we will have to review our oil policies."

The warning drew a strong response from the White House spokesman Scott McClellan, who said: "Provocative statements and actions only further isolate Iran from the rest of the world." Amid the escalating war of words, in which Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in Washington that Iran "directly threatens vital American interests", the IAEA director general, Mohamed ElBaradei urged both the West and Iran to adopt a "cool-headed approach, to lower the rhetoric".

The US representative in Vienna, Gregory Schulte, called for the Security Council to "emphasise that Iran will face consequences" if it fails to comply with international demands laid down by the IAEA and which will be considered by the council next week.

The European Union's statement made it clear that Tehran had failed to satisfy the agency. "Indicators of a possible military dimension to Iran's programme continue to be a legitimate source of intense concern," said Thomas Stelzer, the Austrian delegate, on behalf of the EU.

Although the Security Council is empowered to order sanctions, European and US diplomats hope that, as a first step, a consensus can be reached in the 15-member council for a formal demand that Tehran returns to a freeze on sensitive nuclear-related activities and co-operates fully with the IAEA.

British diplomats said that the UN demands would include a deadline for compliance, but China and Russia - which both hold veto power on the Security Council - are likely to balk at such a suggestion.

Yesterday's decision by the IAEA further intensifies the pressure on Iran which provoked a crisis in January by reopening facilities capable of enriching uranium to weapons-grade strength. Russian compromise proposals were not accepted by Iran in time for the three-day IAEA meeting despite intensive negotiations. A senior analyst warned that the outcome of next week's council discussions were unpredictable, notably because of open opposition from Russia and China to sanctions.

Both countries have strong economic ties to Iran, which insists that its nuclear intentions are purely peaceful and maintains that it has a treaty right to enrich uranium on its own soil. "The Russians have agreed to go to the council, but up to what point is still not clear," said a European diplomat.

There is also some concern about the mixed messages emanating from the Bush administration - including warnings from Vice-President Dick Cheney and the UN ambassador, John Bolton, of possible military action - which could prove counter-productive. "The Americans are giving the impression they favour regime change. That is not an incentive for the Iranians to comply," the senior analyst said.

The EU left open the door to a diplomatic solution, and Mr ElBaradei said future negotiations with Europe should also include the US on the issue of security guarantees for Iran.

Diplomats said Iran felt confident it could ride out the storm despite facing international isolation because Iranian public opinion stands firmly behind the hardline President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on the nuclear issue. The country's economic influence has meanwhile been enhanced by the strong oil prices.

Iran threatened America with "harm and pain" if sanctions were imposed as Tehran was finally referred to the UN Security Council for action over its suspected nuclear weapons programme.

A senior Iranian official warned: "The United States may have the power to cause harm and pain but it is also susceptible to harm and pain. So if the United States wishes to choose that path, let the ball roll."

The official, Javad Vaeedi, was speaking on the sidelines of a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, which wound up yesterday by seeking formal action by the Security Council, after months of delay because of resistance from Russia and China. Asked whether the Islamic Republic would use an "oil weapon", Mr Vaeedi said: "We will not [do so now], but if the situation changes, we will have to review our oil policies."

The warning drew a strong response from the White House spokesman Scott McClellan, who said: "Provocative statements and actions only further isolate Iran from the rest of the world." Amid the escalating war of words, in which Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in Washington that Iran "directly threatens vital American interests", the IAEA director general, Mohamed ElBaradei urged both the West and Iran to adopt a "cool-headed approach, to lower the rhetoric".

The US representative in Vienna, Gregory Schulte, called for the Security Council to "emphasise that Iran will face consequences" if it fails to comply with international demands laid down by the IAEA and which will be considered by the council next week.

The European Union's statement made it clear that Tehran had failed to satisfy the agency. "Indicators of a possible military dimension to Iran's programme continue to be a legitimate source of intense concern," said Thomas Stelzer, the Austrian delegate, on behalf of the EU.

Although the Security Council is empowered to order sanctions, European and US diplomats hope that, as a first step, a consensus can be reached in the 15-member council for a formal demand that Tehran returns to a freeze on sensitive nuclear-related activities and co-operates fully with the IAEA.

British diplomats said that the UN demands would include a deadline for compliance, but China and Russia - which both hold veto power on the Security Council - are likely to balk at such a suggestion.

Yesterday's decision by the IAEA further intensifies the pressure on Iran which provoked a crisis in January by reopening facilities capable of enriching uranium to weapons-grade strength. Russian compromise proposals were not accepted by Iran in time for the three-day IAEA meeting despite intensive negotiations. A senior analyst warned that the outcome of next week's council discussions were unpredictable, notably because of open opposition from Russia and China to sanctions.

Both countries have strong economic ties to Iran, which insists that its nuclear intentions are purely peaceful and maintains that it has a treaty right to enrich uranium on its own soil. "The Russians have agreed to go to the council, but up to what point is still not clear," said a European diplomat.

There is also some concern about the mixed messages emanating from the Bush administration - including warnings from Vice-President Dick Cheney and the UN ambassador, John Bolton, of possible military action - which could prove counter-productive. "The Americans are giving the impression they favour regime change. That is not an incentive for the Iranians to comply," the senior analyst said.

The EU left open the door to a diplomatic solution, and Mr ElBaradei said future negotiations with Europe should also include the US on the issue of security guarantees for Iran.

Diplomats said Iran felt confident it could ride out the storm despite facing international isolation because Iranian public opinion stands firmly behind the hardline President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on the nuclear issue. The country's economic influence has meanwhile been enhanced by the strong oil prices.

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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/09/content_4279623.htm

ElBaradei calls for more cooperation from Iran

"There is complete agreement (in discussions) that Iran needs to go the extra mile and work with us," ElBaradei told reporters shortly after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board concluded discussions over the nuclear issue.

The 35-member IAEA board was divided over the involvement of the Security Council, with the United States and the EU3 -- Britain, France and Germany -- insisting that the UN Security Council should now take up the issue.

ElBaradei said it is in the interest of Iran for the IAEA to clear all outstanding issues. The clarification of these issues will in turn have positive impacts on confidence-building measures.

He said there were divisions in the board discussions, but there were "common threads" throughout the process.

The common threads, he said, were calls for increasing transparency of Iran's nuclear activities, for more confidence-building measures from Iran and common wish for a political settlement of the issue.

He said his report on Iran would be conveyed to the UN Security Council on Wednesday or Thursday. Then it is up to the Security Council to decide whether or when to discuss the issue, or what action, if any, to take.

ElBaradei noted that people who talked about the involvement ofthe Security Council emphasized that this is just a new phase of diplomacy, not the end of it.

On the Iranian side, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said on Wednesday, "Although ElBaradei reiterated that the IAEA witnessed no deviation from peaceful means or towards military purposes in Iran 's nuclear activities, his report emphasizes that Iran has to answer some questions on its nuclear program which still remain unanswered."

ElBaradei's report says that the IAEA has no proof that Iran isseeking nuclear weapons, at the same time, it does not rule out the possibility of clandestine nuclear activities due to insufficient information.

Asefi blamed the United States for the current deadlock on the Iranian nuclear issue, saying that "the Americans have politicized the atmosphere in which no expert work can be done".

Iran also vowed tit-for-tat measures against the United States in the battle over the nuclear issue.

"The United States may have the power to cause harm and pain, but it is also susceptible to harm and pain," Javad Vaeidi, head of Iran's delegation to the IAEA board, told reporters.

Meanwhile, the United States sought the involvement of the United Nations Security Council in the Iran nuclear issue to enforce the IAEA's role and investigation.

"The time has come for the Security Council to act," U.S. ambassador Gregory Shulte told the meeting at the Vienna-based IAEA.

Shulte outlined the Security Council's approach, which he said should be incremental.

"It should emphasize that Iran will face consequences if it does not meet its obligations," the U.S. diplomat warned, but he insisted that the U.S. had not yet abandoned hopes for a diplomatic solution.

Also on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that there is no military solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis.

"There is no military solution to this crisis," Lavrov told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, stressing that both Britain and Germany hold the same position.

France, Germany and Britain warned on Wednesday that an action by the United Nation's Security Council would be inevitable unless Iran changes its policy on nuclear issue.

"We believe that the time has come for the UN Security Council to reinforce the authority of the IAEA," said British ambassador to the IAEA Peter Jenkins, who made the statement on behalf of the EU3 powers.

"This is not, however, the end of diplomacy, and we remained towork for a negotiated solution," said the British diplomat.

Other countries, especially those of the Non-Aligned Movement, argued that the issue should be kept within the framework of the IAEA.

China called for the continuation of diplomatic efforts to tackle the Iranian nuclear issue, saying there is still room for settlement within the framework of the IAEA.

The dispute over Iran's nuclear issue escalated after Tehran resumed nuclear fuel research on Jan. 10, which sparked the IAEA decision to report its case to the UN Security Council.

Iran then stopped the IAEA's snap inspections of its nuclear sites and resumed small-scale uranium enrichment work.

Iran denied the U.S. charge of developing nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program, insisting on its right to peaceful nuclear technology. Enditem

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/692094.html

Western intelligence: Iran covertly developing nuclear weapons

Intelligence services in the West are convinced that Iran is taking covert means to develop nuclear weapons, in addition to the nuclear program under the partial supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Russian intelligence apparently agrees with this assessment.

According to the IAEA interim report from late February, a document was found that alludes to Iranian attempts to create the components of an atomic bomb.

The IAEA's Board of Governors decided Wednesday to hand the Iranian nuclear issue to the United Nations Security Council, which is expected to start deliberations next week.

The intelligence assessments reflect the conclusions that have been drawn in the past few years in the United States, Europe and Israel. Until now, most of the publications about Iran's nuclear program mentioned sites in Isfahan, Natanz, Arak and Tehran. The intelligence sources say these belong to the acknowledged part of the program and claim there is a secondary, smaller covert channel that is making steady progress toward creating a nuclear weapon for Iran.