Iran: Athletes form human shield (around uranium conversion facility)

News 24 (South Africa) ^ | January 21, 2006

[Stoat]

Athletes form human shield
22/01/2006 17:02  - (SA)  

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Isfahan - Iran on Sunday gave a fresh show of its determination to press on with its disputed nuclear programme, enrolling about 1 000 athletes to form a human shield in front of a key nuclear facility.

The demonstration, which took place in front of just a handful of journalists, was held under winter sunshine outside the main gate of a uranium conversion facility near the historic central city of Isfahan.

"Since we have reached this technology indigenously and with our own scientists, we will safeguard it at any cost," the director of the facility, Behrouz Samani, said at the event.

Around him were about 1 000 sportsmen and women of all ages and from across Iran, who were wearing free T-shirts brandishing the slogan: "Nuclear Energy is our Legitimate Right."

Work at the Isfahan site, where uranium is converted to gas as a precursor to the sensitive enrichment process, had been suspended as part of a deal with Britain, France and Germany in November 2004.

Reactor fuel

Iran ended the freeze in August 2005, renewing fears it could acquire the technology needed to make nuclear weapons and leading the EU-3 to push for Iran's referral to the UN security council.

Iran insists it only wants to make reactor fuel, and further backed away from the nuclear suspension earlier this month by resuming enrichment research at another facility in Natanz.

"We the athletes will defend our right to research and the activities that lead us to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," said a statement from the athletes read out at the demonstration.

"We consider this to be our legitimate right and will not surrender it before our last breath, and in accordance to the orders of our supreme leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei), we will definitely not close down our nuclear activities and this is our red line," said the statement.

Also shouted at the gathering were the habitual chants of "Death to America, Death to Britain".

Britain, France and Germany have called an urgent meeting of the IAEA's 35-nation board for February 2, with Western diplomats confident the meeting will result in Iran's case being referred to the security council despite the reluctance of Russia and China.

[Stoat]

Giving credit where it's due...I found this article because it was linked at OrbusMax

Orbusmax ™ Northwest News - 'Around The World In 80K'

[mosquewatch.com]

Good, gather more people, it makes the target easier to spot.

[samadams2000]

Wow. Thats a lot of dead athletes.

[xcamel]

Just makes the site a slightly larger bullseye..

[doug from upland]

I guess we should ask Geena Davis. She'll know what to do. (NOTE: I have never watched the Hillary advertisement program.)

[Tim Long]

Someone should tell them bombs are dropped from above.

[b4its2late]

That's no way to get in good with the NYC Marathon Committee......

[Hildy]

there goes the Iranian luge team.

[Daralundy]

They are going to get tired I think. Nothing may happen for weeks or months.

[LdSentinal]

Hands Across Ground Zero?

[nascar242005]

make sure they wear Bright Red.....better yet wave UN Flags.

[atomicpossum]

I guess they expect the goalie to catch any 'incoming.'

[al baby]

I was thinking the same thing

[mosquewatch.com]

Muslim logic = We will hide the reactor sites from the infidels by placing large numbers of people around it ! By the beard of Mohammed, wonderful !! ;)

[staytrue]

Saddam tried the same thing. I suspect the results will be the same.

[Supernatural]

Cannon fodder.

[mosquewatch.com]

I'm counting on it lol !

[RayChuang88]

We've got a bunch of Darwin Award winners, that's to be sure.

[Brooklyn Kid]

I'm wondering if this is the same story........

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1562803/posts?q=1&&page=1#1

[sgtbono2002]

I thought these people were going to rise up and get rid of the Mullahs now running Iran.

Damn, and I was holding my breath waiting for it to happen.