Security cabinet authorizes plan for strike on Iran

[USAcommitteeX]

By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's security cabinet reportedly gave "initial authorization" last month to a plan for an air and ground attack on Iran if diplomatic efforts do not halt the Islamic republic's nuclear program, according to a report in London's Sunday Times.
The newspaper reported that the Israel Defense Forces have built a model of Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment plant in order to practice assaults on the facility.

Israel would reportedly make use of F-15 fighter planes and teams from the Israel Air Force's elite Shaldag unit in the attack.

According to the Sunday Times, the Israeli plans have been discussed with the United States who reportedly said they would not block an Israeli attack on Iran if international diplomatic efforts fail to halt the nuclear projects.

Iran vows to continue with nuclear program
Neither threats nor incentives will alter Iran's pursuit of its nuclear program, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Saturday, defying new moves by the European Union and the United States to ensure Tehran never develops a nuclear bomb.

In a show of bluster and defiance, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi rejected overtures from the West, saying Iran would not be influenced by external pressure. Iran maintains its nuclear program is solely for the peaceful pursuit of nuclear energy.

"Iran is determined to use peaceful nuclear technology and no pressure, incentive or threat can force Iran to give up its rights," state-run radio quoted Asefi as saying.

Washington recently agreed to drop its opposition to Iran's membership in the World Trade Organization and allow some sale of spare parts for civilian aircraft.

The move was in support of a European plan to offer Tehran economic incentives to give up any nuclear weapons ambitions.

Asefi rejected Washington's move. "Lifting some restrictions against Iran will not stop Iran from pursuing its rights," Asefi was quoted as saying.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Reuters on Friday that an Iranian nuclear bomb would be a "nightmare" for Israel and other countries.

"In our view they are very close, too close, to having the knowledge to develop this kind of bomb and that's why we should be in a hurry," Shalom said in an interview in Mexico.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signaled Iran must move quickly or face the threat of harsh UN Security Council sanctions. The administration also privately expressed skepticism that Iran would live up to the bargain.

Until now, the administration has insisted Iran deserves no reward for simply abiding by an international arms compact that forbids nuclear weapons development. The United States suspects Iran is using a legitimate program to develop nuclear power plants to manufacture weapons. Iran suspended its uranium enrichment activities last year to create confidence in its negotiations and avoid Security Council referral.

But Tehran says maintaining the voluntary freeze depends on progress in ongoing talks with Britain, Germany and France, which are negotiating on behalf of the European Union.

The EU wants to get an Iranian commitment to scrap enrichment plans in exchange for economic aid, technical support and backing for Tehran's efforts to join mainstream international organizations.

Meanwhile, Russia on Saturday welcomed the U.S. statement signaling a softer stance on how to thwart Iran's suspected nuclear arms program, with a Foreign Ministry spokesman saying he hoped the shift would aid European efforts to resolve questions about Iran's activities.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said Rice's comments "contain new elements of U.S. policy toward Iran."

He said Russia hopes U.S. actions will conform with "the line that both Russia and Western European countries are pursuing in efforts to remove all questions relating to the character of Iran's nuclear program on the basis of cooperation."

Russia, which is building a nuclear reactor in Iran under a $800 million contract that has caused U.S. concern for years, has expressed support for European diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to abandon permanently its uranium enrichment program.

But American officials say that Russia has increasingly come to share their concerns about Iran's nuclear program.

[IrishRaver]

xiannaix where are you...i need to rub it in your face that i was right....