Question: Why doesn't Iran allow inspectors to see if Iranians' claims are true that its nuclear program is for legitimate, peaceful purposes? It seems like they should know that if they don't do this, they are almost certain to see their nuclear facilities destroyed. There is no way the West and Israel can allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. Obama himself has said this. True, he wants to use diplomacy first, but if that doesn't work, he has let it be known that a military strike will be on the table as a last resort. Surely they must realize this.


Iran stages war games, rejects nuclear demand
By Parisa Hafezi


TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran started war games on Monday and its president rejected a demand by major powers that it stop enriching uranium as "illegitimate," showing no sign of backing down in a stand-off over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.


Missile units of the elite Revolutionary Guards' naval and air forces began war games, Iranian news agencies said, hours after the U.S. Navy said it had begun exercises in the Gulf.

Speculation about an attack on the world's fourth biggest oil exporter over its nuclear program rose after a report last month said Israel had practiced such a strike. Fears of military confrontation helped send world oil prices to record highs.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday his country would not stop enriching uranium, work which Tehran says is aimed at generating power but which the West fears may be part of a covert nuclear weapons program.

It was Ahmadinejad's first comment on the dispute since Iran delivered its response on Friday to a package of incentives offered by world powers seeking to curb its nuclear activities. Details of the response were not made public.

"They offer to hold talks but at the same time they threaten us and say we should accept their illegitimate demand to halt (enrichment work)," Ahmadinejad told reporters in Malaysia, where he was attending a summit of eight developing countries.

"They want us to abandon our right (to nuclear technology)," the president said.

By contrast, Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki spoke during the weekend of a "new environment" for diplomacy over Iran's nuclear program.

The United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany demand that Iran suspend its enrichment work before formal talks can start on their revised package of incentives, which includes help to develop a civilian nuclear program.

Tehran has repeatedly refused to stop producing enriched uranium, which can be used as fuel for power plants, or, if refined much more, can provide material for nuclear weapons.

The offer of trade and other incentives proposed by the world powers was presented last month by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana to Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.

Iran has put forward its own bundle of proposals aimed at resolving the dispute and has said it was encouraged by common points between the two separate packages.

MIXED SIGNALS

So far the Iranian government's formal response to the latest offer has not been made public and there have been mixed signals in statements by its senior officials.

Senior officials from world powers held a conference call on Monday to discuss Iran's response, the State Department said.

"We are consulting with our partners in the P5+1 (permanent five U.N. Security Council members plus Germany) on issues related to that response and what we might hear and what we have heard thus far," a spokesman said of the conference call.

The goals of Iran's war games included raising combat readiness and the capability of missile units. Exercises started a few hours ago, the Fars and Mehr news agencies said, without giving details on where the maneuvers were taking place.

The Guards often hold maneuvers in the Gulf.

The Revolutionary Guards' head said in remarks published in late June that Tehran would impose controls on shipping in the Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz if it was attacked.

The U.S. Navy last week vowed that Iran would not be allowed to block the Gulf waterway which carries crude from the world's largest oil exporting region.

The U.S. Navy on Monday said two U.S. vessels were taking part in its exercise alongside a British warship and one from Bahrain, a Gulf Arab ally which hosts the Fifth Fleet.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Monday that harsh U.S. rhetoric toward Iran appeared to be contributing to the surge in oil prices and that a calmer approach might help soothe the markets.

"There are some geopolitical issues that affect the price of oil," he added. "So for us to ratchet down the rhetoric when it comes to Iran, for example, and engage in tough, principled diplomacy, as I've called for, might calm the markets down."

Before news of the Iranian war games, oil dropped over $4 a barrel Monday on profit taking and signals that Iran could be more flexible in negotiations over its nuclear program.

U.S. crude settled at $141.37 a barrel, down $3.92 and below Friday's low of $143.22. Brent crude settled at $141.87 a barrel, down $2.55.

Don't really know, but according to Stephen Kinzer, he is trying to antagonize the U.S. or, more likely, Israel to attack his country in order to gain more support from his own people, who generally like the U.S.

As I recall .... another ruler tried defying the International Community by doing this. But, he is no longer around.

I have read in reliable sources that he has some rather strange belief that there must be a terrible catastrophe in order for the Messiah to come. Some are saying that he actually wants to provoke an attack. Crazy if that is true. He has to see that that can sometimes backfire very badly. I would hope he doesn't think this way.

Apparently Ahmadinejad has some fairly nutty beliefs too.

I thought liberals were known for their tolerance, pardner.

Oh, I don't know. He called Bush a mad man, so he can't be too crazy. LOL

Point: Carolaa and one for the Liberals...

Actually the post tells us more about Carolaa than it does President Bush. I don't think that kind of comment is helpful in a healthy exchange of ideas nor is the situation with Iran something light that should be joked about. Iran is very much a threat to Israel and perhaps to Europe. Any major conflict over there may increase fuel to the point where we Americans will be rationing gasoline. Not a good thought for anyone. It is a time for prayer. God be with us all.

What is your basis for that statement?