Posted on 06/05/2007 8:19:14 PM PDT by bd476
Iran warned the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday against slapping more sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear work, saying it was like "playing with a lion's tail" as its top negotiator met Germany's foreign minister.
The talks in Berlin between Ali Larijani and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, coming two weeks after a negative U.N. nuclear watchdog report on Iran that could trigger tougher sanctions soon, ended without comment from either side.
It followed talks in Madrid last week between Larijani and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana that yielded no headway in resolving the core dispute -- Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment as a precondition for negotiations on trade benefits.
The meeting also came on the eve of a Group of Eight (G-8) summit in the German resort of Heiligendamm where industrialized nation leaders will discuss what "steps should be taken next" on Iran, among other issues, a senior German official said.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said it was too late for anyone to reverse Iran's nuclear course, which Tehran insists is a peaceful quest for an alternative source of electricity, not for atomic bombs.
"They should be aware that Iran is a big country. Some say Iran is like a lion sitting calmly in the corner. We advise them not to play with a lion's tail," Ahmadinejad told visiting foreign journalists in Tehran. "Iran's (nuclear) move has passed the point where they (Western countries) could stop it."
Asked about his remarks, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in Washington that the world would not be "intimidated by these kinds of threats..., bluff and bluster from the Iranian government ... The international community is united in opposing Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon".
Originally it was Larijani's deputy Javad Vaeedi who was to go to Berlin for talks with senior German and EU officials.
A diplomat close to the Iran EU discussions said Vaeedi had planned to warn them against a crackdown on Tehran over its nuclear program at the G-8 summit.
Another diplomat close to the German foreign ministry said the Iranians had decided to upgrade the meeting to a ministerial level with Larijani -- who heads Iran's Supreme National Security Council, most likely to send a stronger message.
The West accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under cover of a civilian atomic energy program. Tehran says its efforts to make nuclear fuel are wholly peaceful, but has dodged a number of investigations by U.N. nuclear inspectors.
The Security Council has imposed two rounds of sanctions since December. Washington says Iran faces a harsher resolution after the U.N. watchdog reported Tehran was rapidly expanding the work in defiance of Security Council demands to stop.
Ahmadinejad said the Council should avoid what he termed illegal measures against Iran.
"They observed that previous sanctions had no effect on Iran's nuclear activities and we have told them not to enter this path. They cannot harm our nation."
Am I the only one getting very tired of these asssholes blustering and threatening to do “bad things” if we don’t kiss their ass?
A severe reminder of who they are messing with, needs to be delivered....soon.
Yeah..look out G8..don’t fall asleep or iran might kidnap you and put you in funny pajamas..and then after your release..you do absolutely nothing to punish their bad behavior...
Imahandjob and his diaper headed pals will get theirs soon.
The problem is, Iran has been getting away with this behavior for decades. They know the Un is full of wimps, that it has no power over them. Plus, they have France and Germany in their back pocket, they have been doing shady deals with them despite any sanctions, so this makes the Un all the more toothless. In another corner, they have Putin(e) romancing them, and no doubt helping them along the nuclear path, all for a price mind you, such as pipeline easements, an oil field or two, no terrorist attacks (No Islamic expansion in Russian territory), and simular back door deals with China.
Carter showed them how weak America was in the 70's, and today the Democrats are showing them nothing has changed in that regard.
They know full well who they are "messing with" -unfortunately. They know Bush can stack the entire US fleet off their shore, but he can't use it.
‘Iran warned the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday against slapping more sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear work, saying it was like “playing with a lion’s tail”’
These are the same maroons who lost a ten year war to a bunch of Iraqi stiffs under Saddam! “Playing with a lion’s tail?” More like playing with a puppy’s tail.
Didn’t we go thru this same exact set of steps with Dear Leader? No, not Nancy, I mean Kimmie.
He blusters, we retreat and wait. We demand. He blusters; we retreat and wait. They years go by with more of the same ritual until he finally says “Well, I rie, but now I have nucrear bom.”
Here it comes again.
We can always hope mother nature will give Iran a good smack however... I wouldn’t feel to badly if for example, a #10 sized earthquake leveled Tehran. Of course, I’d have to send a box of band-aides to show my worldly concern...
"Iran is a major market for Germany's industrial and technological products, just as Germany is an importer of Iranian oil and such goods as rugs; some 35% of Iranian rugs are exported to Germany. According to a recent article in Der Spiegel, 'Between 2000 and 2005, German exports to Iran more than doubled. Last year they reached a new record of 4.4 billion euros... Manufacturers of machinery and equipment are the main beneficiaries because Iran is using German know-how to develop its economy."
"Another report by the Iran-German Chamber of Commerce indicates that as much as 75% of Iran's small and medium industries rely on imported goods and technology from Germany."
Go re-read Ahmadinejad's infamous Spiegel interview. He loves German neo-Nazis.
We have to follow "the rules" you know. /s
No, you are not. Someone on FR, referring to Ock-my-dinny-jad, characterized him as "All turban and no camels".
Iran is like the child stealing cigarettes from his parents, lets just give him a big stogie and make him puff on it.
Perhaps it would be a better idea in the long run to just sell Iran a used nuclear reactor like someting out of a sub, provide US workers and build the infrastructure to connect to a power grid, monitor any use of it for illegal weapons grade material.
If they are trying to use it to make weapons grade material we blow it up.
yea right. After they have enough for refining a few thousand nukes, they'll just say get lost, maybe hold a few dozen hostages for a couple years while they stock up on ICBM's.
Lions are endangerd.
It was no coincident that Islamists are referred to as Islamanazis or Sand Nazis -— among the more polite and printable labels...
What they don’t know is what a hated man in America will do with nothing, absolutely nothing to loose.
Like making Arafat wait while getting serviced by a zoftik intern?
In the form of a large bomb. But I don't see that happening any time soon.
I’m sorry but thats a pathetic thing to say.
Dislike for Ahmadinejad is no reason to wish for
the mass death of innocent Iranians.
stand ready to pass me that second Searcy
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