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But it is Israel's experience with Osirik that makes Sharon's alarming words impossible to ignore. The trigger for that strike was intelligence that the Iraqi reactor was about to be loaded with nuclear fuel. Hitting it after the loading would have risked spreading radioactive contamination across a wide area in the Middle East. And after the 1991 Gulf War it was discovered that outside assessments - including Israel's - underestimated how close Saddam Hussein had been to getting the bomb. In the coming months the United States and its ally Israel will either accede to the existence of an Iranian nuclear power program, or take steps to prevent it. At the eye of the storm is Iran’s nuclear power plant at Bushehr, on the Gulf coast, currently under construction. The reactor is scheduled for completion later this year. Its nuclear fuel rods will then be delivered. By June 2004 it should be fully operational. The controversial project has been in the works for more than a quarter century. As it nears completion, tensions between Iran and the U.S./Israel are sure to rise. Iran is a signatory of the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), which affirms the right of states in good standing to develop nuclear power for peaceful use. Although there is no evidence Iran has yet violated the NPT, the U.S. and Israel believe that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons. This is the crux of the problem. And two recently discovered Iranian nuclear sites, at Arak and at Natanz, have only heightened suspicions. Sleeping
forces stir in Iran With the student demonstrators lacking natural national leaders and the movement yet to develop into a broader reform protest, Iran lacks an organized anti-fundamentalist force that could lead and translate widespread public dissatisfaction into a popular street protest. It is this vacuum that the MEK, and its front organization, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, will endeavor to fill. The dilemma for the US is, does it keep the MEK on its terror list, or does it acknowledge the organization as the best available conduit to promote political change in Iran? Paris Raid Reveals Washington's Fractured Iran Policy Iran: First it was ‘October Surprise’ Now It’s No Surprise Iranians avoid censure on nuclear programme Bush pressed to pursue 'regime change' in Iran Washington plays into Iranian clerics' hands The approach of the Bush administration towards these developments has raised questions about its objectives. Against a background of two years of anti-Iranian propaganda and a few months of talks of a regime change in Iran, Washington's clear expression of support for the Iranian students has only provided grounds for Tehran's suppression of their protests under the pretext of neutralizing an American plan to destabilize Iran. Bush Praises Iranian Pro-Democracy Protestors This
is the guy who ignored millions of protestors in his streets! Iranians protest against clerics The crowd swelled after calls to participate were broadcast by US-based satellite TV channels. Nice of BBC to keep us up on US 'meddling' in Iran. Americans shouldn't believe a thing Bush says on Iran War on Iran has sequel potential (Here is how the TV networks help build support for war.) The next war is already getting heavy advance promotion. CNN has a graphic going "Inside Iran,'' and Wolf Blitzer has been braying about how Iran may have weapons of mass destruction, could be supporting Hezbollah terrorists and, of course, has connections to ever-elusive Al Qaeda. Friday afternoon, he allowed one of the usual suspects from the Heritage Foundation — don't you love how these right-wing think tanks are named? — to call Iran the "poster child for axis of evil.''
ADMINISTRATION
SETS ITS SIGHTS ON Iranian hawks feed on US anger The CIA in Iran: The Oily Business of Regime Change Pentagon Eyes Massive Covert Attack on Iran U.S. Plan Targets Iran Clerics Despite
Thin Intelligence Reports, Iran Warns U.S. Not to Interfere in Its Affairs Iran,
Al Qaeda and weapons of mass destruction Reports that top officials in the administration of President George W Bush will meet this week to discuss US policy toward Iran, including possible efforts to overthrow its government, mark a major advance in what has been an 18-month campaign by neo-conservatives in and out of the administration. Overshadowed until last month by their much louder drum-beating for war against Iraq, the neo-cons' efforts to now focus US attention on "regime change" in Iran have become much more intense since early May, and have already borne substantial fruit.
Iranians don't need American kingmakers Plans by Iran for a Reactor Pose Concerns About Arms The American government drew on Iraq's well-known WMD program in the 1980s to justify its unsubstantiated claims regarding that country in 2003. However, its allegation on Iran having an active nuclear weapon program is based on pure speculations and lacks any credibility, as, unlike the case of Iraq, there is not even a historical precedence to make such allegation. Moreover, Iran's nuclear program has received IAEA approval, clear proof of its non-military nature. Nevertheless, Washington has pressured the IAEA to declare Iran in material breach of its nuclear obligations in the upcoming IAEA meeting in June, although the February visit of the IAEA head and his inspector teams to Iran did not prove any wrongdoing by the Iranians. In particular, Washington has tried to portray Iran's declared plan to establish facilities to have a complete nuclear fuel cycle as a clear violation of its IAEA obligations and a proof for its pursuing a nuclear weapons program. This is notwithstanding the fact that having such objective and its required facilities to enable the Iranians to exploit their own uranium mines and to enrich uranium are well within Iran's rights under IAEA rules and regulations. Thus, Iran's two declared and under-construction uranium enrichment facilities in Natanz and heavy water production facility in Arak are not proof of its wrongdoings; the former inspected by the IAEA team in February. This is especially so as IAEA regulations require the declaration of nuclear facilities when they contain nuclear material, which is not even the case for the two under-construction facilities. Iranian
Nuclear Facilities: Arak and Natanz Iran Building Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities: International Transparency Needed Natanz - Iran Special Weapons Facilities Iran
at a Nuclear Crossroads New Front Sets Sights On Toppling Iran Regime Pentagon
adds to despair of Iran's reformers Lawmakers: Iran Rulers Should Be Removed US
pushes for UN action against Iran Pentagon
sets sights on a new Tehran regime Julian Borger in Washington and Dan De Luce in
Tehran Bush weighs effort to undermine Iranian leadership The senior U.S. intelligence official said it wasn't clear whether al Adel's group, which is believed to be in a remote area of southeastern Iran near the border with Pakistan, was operating with the acquiescence of at least part of the Iranian government. Also driving the Bush administration's
concern - as well as that of Israel - are revelations that Iran's
nuclear weapons program may be far more advanced than previously believed. CIA
Undercover Unit in E. Iran Iran Embeds Badr troops in Iraq’s Shiite centers Iranians
feistier than Iraqis
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