The PNAC won't like this... Iran Story

[Azadre]

Tehran seeking role in Mid-East
By Miranda Eeles
BBC correspondent in Tehran

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has warned that peace cannot come to the Middle East without the help of Iran.

Mr Khatami was responding to questions from reporters about American policies in the region.

He also said that Iran was willing to provide any guarantee to the International Atomic Energy Agency that it was not developing nuclear weapons.

Pressure is building on Iran ahead of a fresh round of discussions on Teheran's nuclear programme at the IAEA.

Iran accused

Speaking in Tehran, President Khatami said despite its many problems with the US, Iran would not let these effect its policies towards Iraq.

Mr Khatami said if the Americans had trusted Iraq's neighbours and countries in the region, instead of continuing their occupation, the problems in Iraq could have been solved.

American officials and some members of the Iraqi interim government have accused Iran of causing trouble in Iraq.

A visit to Tehran by the Iraqi deputy prime minister to try and ease relations between the two neighbours is expected soon.

US call

Mr Khatami also talked about what he described as Iran's natural and legal right to develop peaceful nuclear power.

Speaking positively about the negotiations with the IAEA, Mr Khatami said if the agency recognised Iran's right to enrich uranium and accepted it as a member of the nuclear club, all problems would be solved.

He then called for the IAEA board of governors to take Iran's case off the agenda by next month's meeting. He added that he believed this was unlikely, however.

The US has been lobbying the agency to report Iran to the United Nations Security Council.

Washington believes Tehran is secretly developing nuclear weapons, a charge that Iran denies.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/3608248.stm

Published: 2004/08/28 15:39:25 GMT

© BBC MMIV

 

[SeleucusNicator]

A thinly veiled demand to allow Iran to continue developing its nuclear program.

The United States will not buy it...I hope the rest of the world doesn't either.

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

I agree.

 

[Rik Meleet]

Iran is a big power, economically, religiously and politically in the Middle East. I think they are correct about the "peace cannot come to the Middle East without the help of Iran" statement.

I think this is true as well, but to a lesser extent: "Mr Khatami said if the Americans had trusted Iraq's neighbours and countries in the region, instead of continuing their occupation, the problems in Iraq could have been solved". The reason that America has a dreadful record on trying (unsuccesfully) to solve civil-wars also plays a part. Vietnam, Somalia, Iraq, Israel, Rwanda are all examples of this.

 

[Sanaz]

I have no idea why anyone cares if Iran has a nuclear program. They'd just be joining N. Korea, Pakistan, China, Israel, and a bunch of other countries. Assuming that they have full disclosure and inspections, which they are volunteering, they'd be a step ahead of many programs. They are their own country, and any move to stop them is out of bounds. I fully hope they get their program off the ground, and more moves are made to involve Iran in the world economy and politics instead of the current trend of isolationism.

 

[ainwood]

I have no idea why anyone cares if Iran has a nuclear program. They'd just be joining N. Korea, Pakistan, China, Israel, and a bunch of other countries. Assuming that they have full disclosure and inspections, which they are volunteering, they'd be a step ahead of many programs. They are their own country, and any move to stop them is out of bounds. I fully hope they get their program off the ground, and more moves are made to involve Iran in the world economy and politics instead of the current trend of isolationism.

But... But.... But... THEY'RE THE BAD GUYS!

 

[SeleucusNicator]

Iran is an undesireable and anti-American oppressive regime. Its economic and political importance to the surrounding area does not change that, and, indeed, makes it more of a threat that must be dealth with.

The amount of apologism we are seeing for such governments saddens me.

 

[ainwood]

The amount of apologism we are seeing for such governments saddens me.

Which bit? The anti-americanism or the oppression?

 

[SeleucusNicator]

Which bit? The anti-americanism or the oppression?

The former. The latter isn't necessarily bad.

 

[Rik Meleet]

Iran is an undesireable and anti-American oppressive regime. Its economic and political importance to the surrounding area does not change that, and, indeed, makes it more of a threat that must be dealth with.

The amount of apologism we are seeing for such governments saddens me.

So cut off the hand when it reaches out to start to settle things the way the Americans have been demanding since 1979 ?

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

The former. The latter isn't necessarily bad.

So suppose you think that foreign governments should force their citizens to like the US right?

Thats not American

 

[SeleucusNicator]

So suppose you think that foreign governments should force their citizens to like the US right?

Thats not American

Not at all; I think that would be a rather great waste of resources for minimal gain.

Rather, I mean that sometimes an oppressive and autocratic regime can be excused because it is pro-American or somehow useful to us; consider Saddam Hussein in the 80's or countless Latin American strongmen of the Cold War.

 

[PantheraTigris2]

Ah, Iran... my favorite memory of them, was back in the days of the hostage crisis, they were the world's leading producer & expoter of pistachio nuts (quite good, you know - I love 'em). In an act of retaliation, the U.S. gov't ordered the farming of UNTOLD vast amounts of pistachios to be grown in the extremely fertile northern California valleys/ aka breadbasket of the nation - where there alone produces 25% of the country's food production. They really went out of their way and planted pistachios as far as the eye could see.

Consequently, we completely dominated the pistachio market from then on... which USED to be Iran's. Thus denying them what had previously been a fairly significant benefit to their economy.

Let the games continue!! So... ya wanna play rough aay?? Well, WE know how to play rough!

 

[andrewgprv]

Uh Oh, even more of the world is catching up to us. Stop it! Stop it immediatly, we must preserve western domination over the world.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Uh Oh, even more of the world is catching up to us. Stop it! Stop it immediatly, we must preserve western domination over the world.

They're not catchign up to us at all, they're just nut cases developing ridiculously powerful weapons. Weapons that should not be in the hands of unstable and untrustworthy governments.

 

[andrewgprv]

They're not catchign up to us at all, they're just nut cases developing ridiculously powerful weapons. Weapons that should not be in the hands of unstable and untrustworthy governments.

Why are they nutcases? I'm sure much of the world considers Americans to be nutcases with an unstable and untrustworthy goverenment. Hey we're the only country to ever actually use nuclear weapons.

 

[amadeus]

Yes, let's let Iran have nuclear weapons. As long as we're doing this, let's send some of our Minuteman and Trident technology over to them, too. How about moving our B-2 bases to Tehran, and don't forget to leave the keys in the ignition, and make sure it's unattended at all times, with the flight instruction manuals translated into Farsi.

andrew, you wouldn't let Pat Robertson have a handgun, why do you trust Iran?

 

[PantheraTigris2]

With all the oil Iran has, this big lie of theirs that they want a nuclear reactor for energy, is completely ridiculous. They want/ are hell-bent on acquiring a nuclear arsenal. And the Norh Korean people asbolutely LOVE America(ns), compared to how the average Iranian generally 'feels' about us. They hate our guts with a passion that cannot be put into mere words.

They must not become a nuclear power. And as long as Bush is in office, I guarantee you they won't. Put Kerry in there, though....

 

[Azadre]

With all the oil Iran has, this big lie of theirs that they want a nuclear reactor for energy, is completely ridiculous. They want/ are hell-bent on acquiring a nuclear arsenal. And the Norh Korean people asbolutely LOVE America(ns), compared to how the average Iranian generally 'feels' about us. They hate our guts with a passion that cannot be put into mere words.

They must not become a nuclear power. And as long as Bush is in office, I guarantee you they won't. Put Kerry in there, though....

Fear... great motivator... too bad you're baseless.

 

[Ovulator]

I think America should be disarmed for being anri-Iranian. We're the ones that have used nuclear weapons and are invading countries.