See newer Articles: after July 31, 2008

Strike on Iran still possible, U.S. tells Israel

July 31, 2008 -

In meetings Monday and Tuesday, administration officials told Defense Minister Ehud Barak that the option of attacking Iran over its nuclear program remains on the table, though U.S. officials are primarily seeking a diplomatic solution.

Source: Los Angeles Times

U.S. Intel: Iran Plans Nuclear Strike on U.S. -Recent Iranian missile test show that Iran could be planning to execute a devastating high-altitude nuclear strike over the U.S. - NewsMax

Military strike not an option on Iran, EU ministers say

July 23, 2008 - Following up last Saturday's talks between Iran and diplomats from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, and Russia, European Union foreign ministers met to discuss the matter. The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said that diplomacy is the only possibility for solving Iran's nuclear threat.

"The position of the European Union is clear," said Mr Solana according to the AP. "We want to find a diplomatic solution to this, in particular to clarify to the fullest the nature of their nuclear programme."

Iran's position was unchanged by the talks. American secretary of state Condoleeza complained that Iran was "not serious" during the negotiations.

Source: EUobserver

McCain: U.S. Won't Allow 'Second Holocaust' by Iran

July 21, 2008 - Israeli TV aired comments by Republican presidential candidate John McCain about the threat of an atomic Iran. When he was asked whether he would back Israel if it chose to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, McCain said he believes tougher sanctions against Iran should be tried first, but if that fails...

"But I have to look you in the eye and tell you that the United States of America can never allow a second Holocaust."

Source:Newsmax

Will Israel attack Iran? - Dennis Prager - WorldNetDaily

Iran given two-week deadline to end the nuclear impasse

July 20, 2008 - In Geneva yesterday, a six-nation negotiating team warned the Iranian delegation that it had run out of patience in their demands that Iran freeze its uranium enrichment program. The six nations are the US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. They gave Iran two weeks to bring them a definite "yes" or "no" answer. They implied that failure to do so will result in new European and UN sanctions and a new round of UN Security Council sanctions.

Source: Guardian - UK

Iran does not expect Israeli or U.S. attack

July 19, 2008 - At the outset of nuclear talks in Geneva between Iran and various world powers, Iran's representatives said they did not expect Israel or the U.S. to attack their country. The U.S. is represented in the talks for the first time.

Source: Yahoo

Waiting for Islam's Messiah

July 17, 2008 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad belongs to a Muslim sect that is looking for, and preparing for, the imminent return of their Messiah, The Mahdi. But they believe that before the Mahdi returns there must be global chaos, and he is willing to be the one who creates the chaos. Ron Cantrell, who has written a book about the Mahdi explains,

"With him it is a win-win situation. If we attack him, he wins because chaos happens. If we don't attack him, he gets to create the chaos which he has said he is willing to do and he will do."

An interesting addition to their belief system is that Jesus will return with the Madhi, and Jesus will then replace the Gospel with the Koran and Christians will convert to Islam.

Source: CBN

President George W Bush backs Israeli plan for strike on Iran

July 14, 2008 - According to a Pentagon official, President Bush has given an “amber light” to an Israeli plan to attack Iran’s main nuclear sites with long-range bombing sorties if negotiations with Iran break down.

“Amber means get on with your preparations, stand by for immediate attack and tell us when you’re ready.”

However, Israel was also told that American forces and US military bases will not be available to them for this purpose.

Source: TimesOnline

Arab state tells Israel it would not oppose Iran strike

July 12, 2008 - Official representatives of an unnamed Arab country, have hinted that they would not oppose an Israeli military operation against Iran. The Gulf states are feeling threatened by Iran's increasingly belligerent statements.

"If this is how Iran threatens when it doesn't have nuclear weapons, what will it do when its nuclear program ripens?" one Israeli source said.

Source: Ha'Aretz

Iran test-fires missiles for second day

July 10, 2008 - For a second day in a row, Iranian Revolutionary Guards test-fired ground-to-sea, surface-to-surface, sea-to-air and long-range missiles.

"The ... manoeuvre brings power to the Islamic Republic of Iran and is a lesson for enemies," Guards commander-in-chief Mohammad Ali Jafari was quoted as saying.

Source: Guardian - UK

Saber Rattling from Iran and Russia - TIME

US warns Iran on missile threat - BBC

Israel 'ready to act' over Iran - BBC

Iran test-fires missiles in Persian Gulf

July 9, 2008 - Iran has launched nine long-and medium-range missiles, presumably to demonstrate that they can retaliate against any U.S.or Israeli attack.

Wednesday's war games were being conducted at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which about 40 percent of the world's oil passes. Iran has threatened to shut down traffic in the strait if attacked.

Source: Yahoo

Israel successfully tests missile interceptor: report - Breitbart.com

Iran Holds Firm on Nuclear Stance

July 7, 2008 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told Malaysian television reporters that Iran would not curtail its uranium enrichment. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said that discussions with Iran will continue.

"I hope that we will be able to continue the dialogue in the coming weeks. We'll see, but I don't want to give the impression of being too optimistic," Solana told reporters in Paris. "It's difficult."

Source:Alalam

Ahmadinejad: Iran will not renounce nuclear rights 'Even if some countries like Israel and the United States join forces they will not dare to attack Iran and they know it very well," Ahmadinejad said.'- YNet News

Report: Iran responds to EU proposal

July 4, 2008 - The EU has offered Iran a package of economic incentives if they would agree to halt their uranium enrichment. Today Saeed Jalili, an Iranian official told EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, that Iran has presented its response to the EU offer. Their answer has not yet been made public.

It also said Solana and Jalili agreed during the conversation to hold the latest in a series of talks in the second half of July. Solana last met with Iranian officials in mid-June, trying to get Teheran to accept the incentives offer.

Source: Jerusalem Post

Israel reassures West: No Iran attack in 2008

July 2, 2008 - Israel's recent massive war games were in preparation for an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, but Israeli officials have told key Western leaders that such an attack will not take place in 2008.

Israel told the governments of Britain, France and the United States that the Jewish state would allow for yet another diplomatic effort to halt Iran's uranium enrichment program.

Source:World Tribune

Iranian minister: Attack on country would provoke unimaginable reaction

July 2, 2008 - According to Iran's oil minister any attack on his country by the United States or Israel would result in a fierce response by Iran.

Gholam Hossein Nozari also says that military moves against Teheran will further roil already volatile oil markets that are seeing new price records set almost daily.

Source: Jerusalem Post

Iran says Gulf oil route at risk if attacked - Reuters

U.S.: Iran won't be allowed to close key oil route - MSNBC

Pentagon: Israel may attack Iran before 2009

July 1 - In an interview with ABC a Pentagon official said that an Israeli attack against Iran could be caused by Iran crossing either of two "red lines." These critical points could be:
1 - When the Natanz nuclear facility produces a sufficient amount of highly enriched uranium, or
2- When Iran acquires the SA-20 air defense system from Russia

"The red line is not when they get to that point, but before they get to that point," the official told ABC. "We are in the window of vulnerability."

Source:YNet News

Iran ready to strike at Israel’s nuclear heart

June 30,2008- Following Israel's recent massive military exercise, Iran has moved ballistic missiles into launch positions where they can strike Israel's Dimona nuclear plant.

Major-General Mohammad Jafari, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, told a Tehran daily: “This country [Israel] is completely within the range of the Islamic Republic’s missiles.

Israel will probably be able to destroy incoming missiles because of a link to a US infrared satellite detection system that could spot Shahab missile launches within seconds.

Source: Times - UK

Report: U.S. Escalating Covert Operations Against Iran

June 29, 2008 - A New Yorker Magazine article reveals that President Bush asked for, and Congress agreed to, funding of large-scale covert operations against Iran last year. The purpose of the $400 million program is to gather intelligence about Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program and to destabilize the country’s religious leadership.

Source: Fox

Preparing the Battlefield - New Yorker

IAEA Chief: Iran Could Make Nuke In 6 Months

June 24, 2008 - In a television interview, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said that Iran is not presently developing nuclear weapons, but if they decided to do so they would have to first expel the IAEA inspectors. Then it would take from six months to a year to produce their first nuclear weapon.

Source:WCBST

Israel 'will attack Iran' before new US president sworn in, John Bolton predicts

June 24, 2008 - John Bolton, former American ambassador to the United Nations, predicts that Israel will be likely to attack Iran's nuclear facilities between November and January. He thinks they would not act before the election because, "There's no telling what impact it could have on the election."

But he thinks they will act before the inauguration of the new president, especially if Obama wins.

But waiting for either Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, or his Republican opponent John McCain to be installed in the White House could preclude military action happening for the next four years or at least delay it.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Bolton said the Arab world would be privately pleased with strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. He said, "I think there'll be public denunciations but no action."

Source: Telegraph -UK

Atomic Energy Agency Director: I'll resign if Iran attacked

June 21, 2008 - Mohamad ElBaradei, the Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that a military strike against Iran at this time would turn the Middle East "into a fireball." He added that such an attack would cause him to resign because it would keep him from continuing his work.

Source: Jerusalem Post

Report: Israeli Military Rehearses Attack on Iran, U.S. Says

June 20, 2008 - The New York Times cites information from undisclosed American officials that more than 100 Israeli fighter jets participated in exercises over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece during first week of June.

The aircraft used in the drill flew a distance of about 900 miles — similar to the distance between Israel and uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz, the officials said.

Source: Fox

Iran warns of 'strong blow' if Israel attacks

June 20, 2008 - In broadcast, Iran's Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami warned Israel that any strike against their nuclear facilities will result in "a strong blow in the mouth." Tehran Friday warned its arch-enemy Israel of a "strong blow" if it takes forceful measures, after the US media reported military exercises by the Jewish state were a possible practice for a strike against Iran.

A Friday report by the New York Times cited US officials as saying that a major military exercise carried out by Israel earlier this month seemed to be a practice for any potential strike against Iran's nuclear facilities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says that Iran is still hiding information about nuclear weapons research and is still defying UN demands to suspend uranium enrichment.

Source: SpaceWar

Iran, Iraq agree to boost defense cooperation

June 10, 2008 - On Monday, Iran's Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation with his Iraqi counterpart, Abdul Qader Jassim. They agreed, in part, to cooperate on mine clearance and the search for soldiers missing in action.

The two majority Shiite Muslim countries fought an eight-year war in the 1980s, in which 1 million people were killed, but ties have improved since Sunni Arab strongman Saddam Hussein was ousted in the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Source: YNet News

Report: Israeli Minister Says 'We Will Attack Iran' if Nuke Program Continues

June 6, 2008 - Israe's former defense minister and army chief, Shaul Mofaz, told the Yediot Ahronot newspaper that Israel will attack Iran if they continue developing nuclear weapons. The newspaper also reported that Mofaz believes the U.S. would back them if the attack was necessary.

Mofaz, who was born in Iran, responded to calls from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that Israel to be wiped off the map, by saying Iran "would disappear before Israel does," according to a Reuters report.

Source: Fox

Olmert: We're close to stopping Iran's nuclear program - Yahoo

U.S., Israel Accuse Iran of Covert Quest for Nuclear Weapons

June 3, 2008 - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert delilvered speeches to a pro-Israel lobbying group, complaining that most nations are supporting Iran with their trade relationships.

"Our partners in Europe and beyond need to exploit Iran's vulnerabilities more vigorously and impose greater costs on the regime — economically, financially, politically and diplomatically," Rice said.

Source: Fox

US: Strong reasons to suspect Iran was working covertly to build atomic bomb

May 29, 2008 - A report from IAEA said there is "serious concern" that Iran is hiding information about their nuclear studies and about their failure to accept UN demands to suspend uranium enrichment

Inspectors from the UN atomic watchdog are "alarmed" that Iran has in its possession a document describing the process for making what could be the core of a nuclear weapon, a western diplomat said Thursday.

Source: YNet News

'Alarming': IAEA obtains Iran blueprint for nuclear warhead - World Tribune

Report: Iran's Nuclear Ambitions Fueling Mideast Arms Race

May 20, 2008 - Because of Iran's controversial nuclear program, other Middle Eastern countries are now interested in atomic energy, for energy and/or for weapons. A report from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies warns that this interest may set the scene for a regional nuclear arms race.

At least 13 Middle Eastern countries either announced new plans to explore atomic energy or revived pre-existing nuclear programs between February 2006 and January 2007.

Source: Fox

Iranian president: Israel heading for destruction

May 8, 2008 - Instead of congratulating Israel on its 60th Anniversary, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said:

Israel is nothing but a stinking corpse. Those who think they can resuscitate the stinking corpse of the Zionist regime on its birthday are sorely mistaken… the very existence of the Zionist entity is questioned. It is heading for destruction.

Source: YNet News

"Hostile" Iran Sparks U.S. Attack Plan

May 1, 2008 - To show strength against the many hostile acts by Iran, the U.S. has placed another aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf and is developing new plans of attack if it should be necessary. Iran is still smuggling weapons into Iraq.

"What the Iranians are doing is killing American servicemen and -women inside Iraq," said Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

The U.S. is also concerned about Iran's nuclear program and the fact that they are harassing U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf.

Source: CBS

UN probes US Syria reactor claim

Apr. 25, 2008 - The U.S. is releasing information about the alleged nuclear site bombed by the Israelis in 2007. It was apparently built with North Korea's help, and looked like the one North Korea has.

The director general of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed ElBaradei, has now been briefed by the US on their claims but "deplores" the delay, a statement from the agency said.

Meanwhile, Syria calls the U.S. claims "ridiculous."

Source:BBC

Syrian ambassador to U.S. says CIA fabricated photos of alleged nuclear reactor - Ha'Aretz

White House to Detail N. Korean-Syrian Nuke Connection

Apr. 24, 2008 - A classified briefing of Congress this week will give details about a nuclear site in Syria that was destroyed by the Israeli Air Force on Sept. 6. Observers question the timing of the secret conference. The facility was built more than a year ago. The Israeli strike took place while the U.S. was in the midst of intense negotiations with North Korea about dismantling its nuclear program. Observers wonder whether the timing is intended to help or impede continuing talks with North Korea.

The move comes just as the State Department is in the final stages of striking a deal with Kim Jong Il's government that would take North Korea off the State Sponsors of Terror list in exchange for disabling its nuclear program and disclosing its nuclear activities.

Some believe the timing is intended to call Syria to account for its actions.

Source:ABC News

Bush: Disclosing Syrian reactor details sends a message to Iran - Jerusalem Post

Clinton: We could 'obliterate' Iran

Apr. 22, 2008 - In an interview with ABC News, Presidential candidate Senator Hilary Clinton said:

"I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran."

Source: Jerusalem Post

WorldNetDaily gives more of Clinton's comments:

"In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them."

Source: Hillary: I'm prepared to 'totally obliterate' Iran - WorldNetDaily

Putin in Libya to close $2.5b arms deal

Apr. 18, 2008 - In his final weeks as Russian President, Vladimir Putin is visiting Libya to strengthen trade ties and close arms deals worth $2.5 billion. Oliver Miles, a former British ambassador to Libya, said:

"The media are always interested in arms deals… but the main issue for Russia will be Libya as a trading partner, which is something that almost every country in the world is interested in, because Libya, with a high oil price, has a lot of money to spend."

Source: Jerusalem Post

Source: U.S. Strike on Iran Nearing

Apr. 15, 2008 - According to a leading member of America’s Jewish community Vice President Cheney's 9-day visit to the Middle East is preparation for a US strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. He stopped in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Turkey, and the Palestinian territories.

“Israel is preparing for heavy casualties,” the source said, suggesting that although Israel will not take part in the strike, it is expecting to be the target of Iranian retribution.

Source:NewsMax

Bush and Iran, Again - Wall Street Journal

Iran says it will "eliminate" Israel if it attacks - Reuters

Israel to Redistribute Gas Masks Amid Fears of War with Iran - Voice of America

Israel and U.S. sign nuclear cooperation agreement

Apr. 15, 2008 - A new agreement betweenIsrael and the U.S. expands the scope of past agreements.

It will enable the Israel Atomic Energy Commission to access most of the latest nuclear safety data, procedures and technology available in the U.S.

Source: Ha'Aretz

'Site found where Iran building 6,000 km ballistic missile'

April 11, 2008 - Satellite images show a missile production site that was previously unknown. The Iranians launched a "research rocket," supposedly part of its space program. As it turns out it was actually a field test of a Shihab-type ballistic missile. Of greater importance, satellite images reveal that the site is also a manufacturing facility for ballistic missiles with a range of about 6,000 km.

Using a space program as a façade for a weapons program was the path chosen by Korea until it declared it had passed the nuclear weapon threshold.

Source: Jerusalem Post

'Wars and Rumors of War'

Apr. 3, 2008 - Some of Today's news headlines!

China reveals Iran's nuclear secrets to UN - Telegraph - UK

Israel readies largest exercise ever to prepare for Iran-Syria missile war - World Tribune

Russia ‘Alarmed’ As US Readies April Nuclear Attack On Iran - Bellacio

Will Saudi Arabia Acquire Nuclear Weapons? - NTI

Saudi Arabia 'braces for nuclear war'

April. 2, 2008 - Iranian TV is reporting that the Saudi Arabia Shura Council approved nuclear fallout preparation plans in case there is an attack on Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactors. The action came just one day after US Vice President Dick Cheney met with Saudi King Abdullah.

Source: Iran Press TV

Iran’s Nuclear Defiance Further Exposed

Mar. 13, 2008 - Rt. Hon. Lord Waddington, a former UK Home Secretary, warns that Iran is still developing a nuclear weapon. His information comes from the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). European sources agree:

The European Union has been conducting its own analysis, and experts have found that Iran may be capable of producing enough highly enriched uranium to build a nuclear bomb by the end of this year. This means the international community has to act rapidly if disaster is to be avoided.

Source:Human Events

Israeli Intelligence: War unlikely in '08, But...

Mar. 10, 2008 - Israeli intelligence concludes that war is unlikely this year, but a crisis with Iran could come in late 2009 or early 2010.

See the article in our "Mid-East Wars" section

Source: Jerusalem Post

Ahmadinejad: If we remain quiet, Zionists will act against us

Feb. 22, 2008 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a gathering of bereaved families that Iran must speak against Israel while they are still able to do so. Earlier in the week he had made an especially distasteful remark against Israel.

On Wednesday, the Iranian president said that "the world powers have created a dirty microbe, called the Zionist regime, which they have unleashed on the region's nations."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called Ahmadinejad's words "intolerable and inexcusable."

Source: YNet News

EU condemns 'uncivilised' Iranian comments on Israel - Yahoo

Iran Is Reported to Test New Centrifuges to Make Atomic Fuel

Feb. 8, 2008 - Iran is testing new centrifuges known as IR-2s which could be used to produce nuclear weapons.

Reports about the new centrifuges were made just two days after the director of national intelligence, Mike McConnell, told Congress that he had regrets about how the National Intelligence Estimate had been written.

McConnell added that Iran’s refusal to halt uranium enrichment meant that it still posed a potential nuclear threat.

Source: N.Y. Times

Ahmadinejad's war of words with 'filthy' Israel

Jan. 31, 2008 - In a televised speech Iranian President Mahmoud Achmedinejad advised world leaders to abandon their support of Israel, the "filthy Zionist entity," because its days are numbered.

Ahmadinejad has made his hostility to the nation of Israel clear on several occasions, threatening it with annihilation repeatedly since becoming president of the Islamic republic in 2005 and denying that the Nazi holocaust ever took place.

Source: Telegraph - UK

Report: Barak says Iran nuke program more advanced than thought

Jan. 26, 2008 - The recent U.S. Nuclear Development Estimate claims that Iran had stopped its nuclear weapons development program in 2003. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told the Washington Post that the Iranians are closer to producing nuclear weapons than the West thinks.

"We think that they are quite advanced, much beyond the level of the Manhattan Project," Barak told the paper. "We suspect they are probably already working on warheads for ground-to-ground missiles ... [and] that probably they have another clandestine enrichment operation beyond the one in Natanz."

Source: Ha'Aretz

Ahmadinejad: Israel wouldn't dare attack Iran

Jan. 18, 2008 - Commenting on Israel's recent successful missile test, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Israel would not dare attack Iran.

"They don't have the courage to attack Iran. The Iranian response would make them regret it and they know this very well," Ahmadinejad said in an interview with Al-Jazeera.

Source: Jerusalem Post

Ahmadinejad loses favor with Khamenei, Iran's top leader

Jan. 8, 2008 - While The U.S., Israel, and even France were threatening Iran with an attack because of their nuclear program, Iran's Ayatola Khamenei, the ultimate leader of the nation, supported Ahmadinejad to keep unity in the nation in the face of danger. But now that U.S. intelligence reports claim that Iran abandoned its development of nuclear weapons in 2003, Khamenei is less supportive of Ahmadinejad. One reason for the rift is rising inflation in the country.

Source: International Herald Tribune

Iran boats 'threatened US ships'

Jan. 7, 2007 - Three US navy ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route, were surrounded by five Iranian speedboats. They radioed threats to blow up the U.S. ships, but left when the navy ships prepared to open fire on them.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the Iranian action "provocative and dangerous".

Iran played down the event, describing it as an "ordinary occurrence".

Source: BBC

Iran speedboats 'threatened suicide attack on US' in Strait of Hormuz - Times Online

Rice warns Iran over Gulf confrontation - ABC

Update: Jan. 18, 2008 - Pentagon admits Iranian footage may have been compromised - First Post - UK

See older Articles: before Jan. 1, 2008