Do you think these guys are looking to be hit? More likely they are mocking the west because they know nothing will happen. They say they will hide it and share it. Why dont we take them at their word?
cnn.com
Iran official threatens to hide nuke program
Supreme leader says transfer of nuke technology (to other countries) is ready
Tuesday, April 25, 2006; Posted: 2:57 p.m. EDT (18:57 GMT)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran threatened Tuesday to begin hiding its nuclear program from the United Nations -- while its supreme leader said Tehran was ready to transfer its nuclear technology to other countries.
Iran's warning to the U.N. watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, came from Tehran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani. They were the country's sharpest rebuttal yet ahead of a Friday deadline, set by the Security Council, for Iran to suspend enrichment of uranium, a process that can produce fuel for nuclear reactors or material for warheads.
"Military action against Iran will not end our program," Larijani said at a conference on the energy program. "If you take harsh measures, we will hide this program. If you use the language of force, you should not expect us to act transparently." (Watch Iranians on the street defend country's tough stance -- 2:28)
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice immediately shot back, saying Iran's statements were further isolating it from the international community.
"Iranians can threaten, but they are deepening their own isolation," she said in Athens, Greece.
The United States has not threatened military action and has said it is pursuing diplomatic option. But U.S. President George W. Bush has said all options, including military force, remain on the table.
Larijani's comments came a day after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boldly predicted the Security Council would not impose sanctions and warned he was thinking about dropping out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
On Tuesday, Larijani said flatly that Iran would not abide by Friday's deadline to suspend enrichment, and would halt all cooperation with the IAEA and pull out of the treaty if sanctions were imposed.
"If you take the first step wrong, the wrong trend will continue. We welcome any logical proposal to resolve the issue. They just need to say why should we suspend," Larijani said.
IAEA spokesman Marc Vidricaire said Tuesday it would not comment. He said no public statements were planned ahead of director Mohamed ElBaradei's report to the Security Council and the agency's board, expected by week's end.
Statements on sharing nuclear technology
The remarks on sharing nuclear technology by Iran's top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, came as he met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
"Iran's nuclear capability is one example of various scientific capabilities in the country. ... The Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to transfer the experience, knowledge and technology of its scientists," Khamenei told al-Bashir.
Al-Bashir said last month that his impoverished, war-torn country was considering trying to create a nuclear program to generate electrical power.
The offer drew a quick response from Rice after she reached the Turkish capital from Athens. She said the United States and all those worried about Iran's program "have to be concerned when there are statements from Iran that Iran would not only have this technology, but would share it, share technology and expertise."
"That's one of the fears, that there would be that kind of escape, if you will, of technology and expertise," Rice said.
Such a transfer of technology would be legal as long as it is between signatory-states to the nonproliferation treaty, and as long as the IAEA was informed.
The United States and European allies are expected to press for binding measures against Iran when the Security Council begins the next round of review of the Iranian case as soon as next week.
Meanwhile, Israel launched a satellite from Russia on Tuesday to spy on Iran's nuclear program, an Israeli defense official said. A TV report said the launch was successful, but it would be some time before it could be determined if the satellite was operational.
U.S. allies not embracing sanctions
Although Rice has recently raised the likelihood of pressing for sanctions, she did not go that far Tuesday when taking questions after a meeting with her Greek counterpart in Athens, saying only that the Security Council must now issue something more concrete than last month's "presidential statement," which gave Iran 30 days to comply.
China and Russia, which are permanent, veto-wielding members of the council, oppose sanctions and both called Tuesday for more negotiations.
"We see no alternative to the negotiations process," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency while in Beijing for a regional anti-terrorism meeting.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang urged all parties "to show flexibility," saying the international community should not abandon efforts for a peaceful settlement.
Iranian defiance
Tuesday's comments by Larijani were not the first time Iran has threatened to curb cooperation. Several months ago, Tehran announced it would not honor the IAEA's so-called "additional protocol," which gave the agency increased inspection powers.
But Larijani said this time Iran would suspend its cooperation altogether, if sanctions were imposed.
"How are you going to prevent our nuclear activities by imposing sanctions? If U.N. Security Council sanctions are to be imposed on Iran, we will definitely suspend our cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency," Larijani said. He added that Western countries on the IAEA board "have to understand they cannot resolve this issue through force."
He also hinted that sanctions or even what he called coercive language from the Security Council would cause Iran to speed up its nuclear activities.
"You can't set a framework through coercion. If you try to do it by force, our response will be to break such a framework," he said.
The United States, Britain and France say they have suspicions that Iran is seeking to make nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charge and says its nuclear program is for peaceful electricity generation only.
Iran could face U.N. sanctions if it does not accede to demands that it suspend its nuclear enrichment program, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw warned Tuesday.
"The Iranians, in my judgment, would miscalculate if they believed that Russia or China would block appropriate and effective sanctions, which targeted the regime, not the ordinary population," Straw said in the House of Commons. "Without going into detail, of course we are thinking about these matters actively."
Ahmadinejad appears to be banking on support from Russia and China to dissuade Washington from pressing a sanctions vote.
The IAEA says it has since found no direct evidence of an arms program, but it also says the Iranians have not been fully forthcoming. |
