Iranian Alert -- February 14, 2004 -- IRAN LIVE THREAD --Americans for Regime Change in Iran

The US media almost entirely ignores news regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran. As Tony Snow of the Fox News Network has put it, “this is probably the most under-reported news story of the year.” But most American’s are unaware that the Islamic Republic of Iran is NOT supported by the masses of Iranians today. Modern Iranians are among the most pro-American in the Middle East.

There is a popular revolt against the Iranian regime brewing in Iran today. Starting June 10th of this year, Iranians have begun taking to the streets to express their desire for a regime change. Most want to replace the regime with a secular democracy. Many even want the US to over throw their government.

The regime is working hard to keep the news about the protest movement in Iran from being reported. Unfortunately, the regime has successfully prohibited western news reporters from covering the demonstrations. The voices of discontent within Iran are sometime murdered, more often imprisoned. Still the people continue to take to the streets to demonstrate against the regime.

In support of this revolt, Iranians in America have been broadcasting news stories by satellite into Iran. This 21st century news link has greatly encouraged these protests. The regime has been attempting to jam the signals, and locate the satellite dishes. Still the people violate the law and listen to these broadcasts. Iranians also use the Internet and the regime attempts to block their access to news against the regime. In spite of this, many Iranians inside of Iran read these posts daily to keep informed of the events in their own country.

This daily thread contains nearly all of the English news reports on Iran. It is thorough. If you follow this thread you will witness, I believe, the transformation of a nation. This daily thread provides a central place where those interested in the events in Iran can find the best news and commentary. The news stories and commentary will from time to time include material from the regime itself. But if you read the post you will discover for yourself, the real story of what is occurring in Iran and its effects on the war on terror.

I am not of Iranian heritage. I am an American committed to supporting the efforts of those in Iran seeking to replace their government with a secular democracy. I am in contact with leaders of the Iranian community here in the United States and in Iran itself.

If you read the daily posts you will gain a better understanding of the US war on terrorism, the Middle East and why we need to support a change of regime in Iran. Feel free to ask your questions and post news stories you discover in the weeks to come.

If all goes well Iran will be free soon and I am convinced become a major ally in the war on terrorism. The regime will fall. Iran will be free. It is just a matter of time.

Iran rejects Bush call on fighting spread of WMDs (0830 PST)

HiPakistan.com
2.14.2004

TEHRAN: Iran said Friday it favoured the elimination of weapons of mass destruction but criticised US President George W. Bush's call for the international community to strengthen the fight against the spread of such weapons.

Bush "speaks as if the United States should decide for the rest of the world and the international community. We reject this," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said in a statement received by.

The US president on Wednesday cited Iran when he proposed that countries being investigated for violations of rules of non-proliferation should not be allowed on the governing council of the UN watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"Those actively breaking the rules should not be entrusted with enforcing the rules," Bush said, in an election-year speech.

Referring to the 1980-1988 war between Iran and neighbouring Iraq, Asefi pointed out that his country, which had been "victim of Iraqi chemical weapons
... favours the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction."

The Iranian spokesman termed Tehran's acquisition of uranian-enrichment technology a "great success" and said "Iran voluntarily accepted total and complete control by the IAEA".

In Rome on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi insisted that Tehran had a "legitimate right" to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes but denied it had any intention to develop nuclear weapons.

Kharazi was responding to questions from reporters after a senior US official alleged Iran was pursuing a programme to make nuclear weapons.

http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en53940&F_catID=&f_type=source

Europe's nuclear deal with Iran faces collapse

Ian Traynor
Saturday February 14, 2004
The Guardian

A European agreement with Tehran aimed at settling the Iranian nuclear crisis and hailed as a breakthrough last year is now deadlocked and in danger of collapse.
Senior officials from Britain, Germany and France went to Vienna last week to negotiate with the Iranians and with Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The attempt to break the deadlock failed.

"There was no breakdown, but there was no breakthrough," said a well-informed diplomat. Since the talks aimed at securing a comprehensive freeze of Iran's uranium enrichment activities, further evidence has emerged that Iran is continuing to cover up elements of its nuclear programme despite its claims to have revealed all to the IAEA.

UN inspectors discovered designs for a centrifuge that can produce bomb fuel twice as fast as the machine the Iranians are currently assembling. The centrifuge designs were not reported by the Iranians, and constitute an apparent breach of their commitment to reveal all, although the significance of the finding is being played down by IAEA officials.

The new design is believed to have come from the Pakistani network masterminded by the disgraced scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan. Given that the Pakistanis also supplied Libya with a nuclear bomb blueprint, the assumption by IAEA investigators and western intelligence is that the same blueprint was made available to the Iranians.

The Americans, the Europeans, and officials at the Vienna agency are convinced that the Iranians have reneged on the deal.

"We're on a steep downward trajectory on Iran," warned Jon Wolfsthal, the US nuclear analyst and former Clinton administration department of energy official.

While the uranium enrich ment issue is one of the biggest bones of contention, a range of other questions are emerging about Iran despite its delivery in October of what purported to be a full and comprehensive accounting of its 20-year-old nuclear projects.

Questions also remain unanswered about the origins of traces of high-enriched uranium found by inspectors in the Iranian centrifuge equipment. In a study to be published next month, David Albright, the leading US nuclear analyst, says that Iran has still not answered key questions about its nuclear activities.

"Between 1993 and 1995, Iran received through middlemen enough components to build 500 centrifuges," he writes. "As of late January 2004, the manufacturer of these components has not been publicly identified. Iran appears so far to be protecting the supplier of these components."

Once in full swing, Mr Albright predicts, the Iranian centrifuges could be producing 500kg of weapons-grade uranium, or enough for up to 30 nuclear weapons a year.

Last October, Jack Straw and his German and French counterparts, Joschka Fischer and Dominique de Villepin, went to Iran to secure the Tehran declaration, hailed as a breakthrough for Europe and a signal to the Americans that mediation and diplomacy can deliver while bullying and threats can be counter-productive.

The negotiations were "very tense and difficult" and at one stage Mr Fischer threatened to walk out. The bargain struck in Tehran was that Iran would freeze its ambitious and extensive uranium enrichment activities in return for technology transfer for a civilian nuclear programme from Europe's three biggest generators of nuclear power - Britain, France and Germany.

But Dr ElBaradei said the Iranians were continuing enrichment activity and refusing to suspend the building of gas centrifuges, the machines that convert uranium gas into high-enriched bomb fuel or low-enriched fuel for nuclear power stations.

"They maintain the right to assemble centrifuges," he said.

Experts and diplomats fear that Iran is continuing to acquire and perfect a bomb-making capability while technically observing a narrow interpretation of suspending uranium enrichment.

Dr ElBaradei is to report on his inspections in Iran next week ahead of a meeting of the 35-strong IAEA board in Vienna in three weeks' time.

Critics claim that the EU agreement contained a fatal flaw. Agreement was reached on a broad definition of freezing uranium enrichment, but only verbally.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,12858,1148081,00.html

Iran 'stoking' radical Islam in Iraq

Expatica, Holland
14th of Feb, 04

PARIS, Feb 12 (AFP) - An Iranian dissident launched a book on Thursday in which he alleges Iran's powerful clerics are trying to export radical Islam to neighbouring Iraq and have ordered the surveillance of the US military occupiers there.

Mohammad Mohaddessin, in a statement accompanying a presentation of his book "Enemies of the Ayatollahs", said the basis of the clerics' way of thinking was "that the US public would not tolerate a long presence of US forces in Iraq, especially if the human cost continued to rise".

His book says that a unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the Qods Force, has reinforced its presence near the Iraqi border in recent weeks "to coordinate the force's activities in Iraq".

Mohaddessin, who is a member of the Iranian opposition group the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the unit had in recent years set up "a number of autonomous terrorist cells in Iraq" and was now stepping up surveillance of bases and convoys belonging to the US-led Coalition forces.

The US occupying authorities in Iraq have been struggling against daily assaults by unidentified attackers they often depict as foreign "terrorists".

More than 100 Iraqis died in bombings on Tuesday and Wednesday. The number of US combat deaths since US President George W. Bush declared an end to major hostilities on May 1 last year has risen to 257.

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=58&story_id=4672

Dubai seen as key to nuclear black market

UPI
February 13, 2004

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. and U.N. investigators identified a Dubai firm as the linchpin of a lucrative nuclear weapons black market that supplied Iran, Libya and North Korea.

The Bush administration and investigators with the International Atomic Energy Agency identified the firm as SMB Computers, a key element in the nuclear weapons black market operated by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, WorldTribune.com reported Friday.

The company was found to have served as a clearinghouse for nuclear components ordered by Iran, Libya and North Korea.

Another Dubai company involved in the nuclear black market was Gulf Technical Industries, which worked closely with SMB's Tahir, Middle East Newsline reported.

Gulf Technical, founded by British engineer Peter Griffin, an associate of Khan, contracted with Malaysia's Scomi Group Berhad for the manufacture of centrifuge equipment identified as P-2.

http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?StoryId=CqcXz0eidzhvIywKTBNvRzw5LD

Iran newspaper cites Kerry memo criticizing U.S. foreign policy

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Friday, February 13, 2004

According to an article published in the Tehran Times, the office of U.S. Senator and leading Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry sent an email message to the Mehr News Agency. The following is the article as it appeared in English:(1)

"The office of Senator John Kerry, the frontrunner in the Democratic presidential primary in the U.S., sent the Mehr News Agency an email saying that Kerry will try to repair the damage done by the incumbent president if he wins the election. The text of the e-mail follows:

"'As Americans who have lived and worked extensively overseas, we have personally witnessed the high regard with which people around the world have historically viewed the United States. Sadly, we are also painfully aware of how the actions and the attitudes demonstrated by the U.S. government over the past three years have threatened the goodwill earned by presidents of both parties over many decades and put many of our international relationships at risk.

"'It is in the urgent interests of the people of the United States to restore our country's credibility in the eyes of the world. America needs the kind of leadership that will repair alliances with countries on every continent that have been so damaged in the past few years, as well as build new friendships and overcome tensions with others.

"'We are convinced that John Kerry is the candidate best qualified to meet this challenge. Senator Kerry has the diplomatic skill and temperament as well as a lifetime of accomplishments in [the] field of international affairs. He believes that collaboration with other countries is crucial to efforts to win the war on terror and make America safer.

"'An understanding of global affairs is essential in these times, and central to this campaign. Kerry has the experience and the understanding necessary to successfully restore the United States to its position of respect within the community of nations. He has the judgment and vision necessary to assure that the United States fulfills a leadership role in meeting the challenges we face throughout the world.

"'The current Administration's policies of unilateralism and rejection of important international initiatives, from the Kyoto Accords to the Biological Weapons Convention, have alienated much of the world and squandered remarkable reserves of support after 9/11. This climate of hostility affects us all, but most especially impacts those who reside overseas. Disappointment with current U.S. leadership is widespread, extending not just to the corridors of power and politics, but to the man and woman on the street as well.

"'We believe John Kerry is the Democrat who can go toe-to-toe against the current Administration on national security and defense issues. We also remain convinced that John Kerry has the best chance of beating the incumbent in November, and putting America on a new course that will lead to a safer, more secure, and more stable world.'"

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_2.html

IAEA report on Iran to be released next week

Saturday, February 14, 2004 - ©2003
IranMania.com

Vienna, Feb 13 (IranMania) – According to Iran’s State News Agency (IRNA) the IAEA is to release its latest report on the Iranian nuclear programs as well as a number of other states next week.

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would submit his latest report on the nuclear programs of a number of countries to the IAEA Governing Council members, said the IAEA spokesperson Melisa Fleming in an interview with IRNA.

According to the November Resolution approved by the IAEA Governing Council, the report of the IAEA director General would be discussed in mid-February by the 35 members of the Governing Council, Fleming said. The report would examine the nuclear activities of the Islamic Republic of lran, Libya, North Korea as well as the status of nuclear-fueled power stations of these countries, said Fleming.

El-Baradei`s report would give comment on the level of the cooperation between Iran and the IAEA and the topic of dispatching the UN inspectors to Iran. The report would be debated in a session of the IAEA Governing Council on March 8-10 and decisions would be taken in this regard.

The Governing Council`s next session is hence of high sensitivity, said Fleming. Fleming`s comments came as Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi earlier in the day rejected recent allegations against Iran regarding its nuclear energy activities, stressing that the Islamic Republic is pursuing no plan for production of nuclear weapons.

Kharrazi said Iran is determined to continue cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and that Tehran will cooperate with the IAEA inspectors.

Iran`s foreign minister was speaking in reaction to the remarks by US Under Secretary of State John Bolton in Berlin that Tehran is still continuing a nuclear program. Kharrazi said Iran`s nuclear energy program is meant for civil purposes, and that the Islamic Republic has a legitimate right to promote its nuclear energy technology.

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=22538&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs

Iran ready to export nuclear fuel: foreign minister

February 14th, 2004
ABC Online, Australia

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi says the Islamic Republic is ready to sell nuclear fuel to international buyers.

Iran, which is accused by Washington of secretly developing nuclear arms, has rejected the US claims and insists it will enrich uranium only to the level needed to fuel power stations and not to higher, weapons-grade purity.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country that has the potential to produce nuclear fuel, is ready to offer (that) fuel to international markets," Mr Kharrazi told the official IRNA news agency at a Tehran airport after a trip to Italy and the Vatican.

Britain, France and Germany last year persuaded Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and accept snap inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a United Nations watchdog.

Iran insists its suspension of uranium enrichment is a temporary goodwill gesture.

Diplomats report Iranian failure to suspend all enrichment-related activities has annoyed France and Britain.

Washington this week upped pressure on Tehran after the IAEA discovered undeclared drawings of centrifuges that can be used to make bomb-grade material.

The US said on Friday it would give Iran more time to disclose its nuclear programs before deciding whether to refer the issue to the UN Security Council, which could impose sanctions.

Western diplomats in Vienna said the drawings showed Tehran had not complied with a demand from the IAEA governing board that it provide a full and truthful account of its entire nuclear program.

Mr Kharrazi pledged Iranian cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.

"The United States is following its own agenda as it did before and intends to put the agency and its governing council under new pressure," he said.

The IAEA board meets again on March 8.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1045140.htm

This should be an interesting month or so.

Supposedly Bin Laden is to be captured before 16 Feb. Given President Bush's atypical NONanswer about whether he knew where Bin Laden was or not . . ., perhaps Kim Clement is right and we will have Bin Laden. We should know soon, even if they don't reveal it right away.

Then, in a recent email, there's the cryptic assertion that President Bush will have to deal firmly or sternly with "enemies within." I wonder what that's about.

Anyway--could be a very interesting spring. Here's some excerpts from that email.

March 11

A few months ago, the Spirit awakened me during the early hours of the morning. I looked at my clock and it read 3:11 AM. I tried to go back to sleep but felt the breath of the Spirit and I realized that it was time to pray. During the next few hours, I prayed, walking the streets of our neighborhood. The Spirit said to me, "Take note of the digits on your clock when you first awakened." An unfolding of many thoughts came to me after I heard this. I know these thoughts were for the purpose of me entering into a greater level of prayer and intercession. God told me that March 11, 2004 would be the beginning of an unusual chain of events in the Kingdom of God. He spoke about that day being the unveiling of mysteries and revelations that would affect the following areas over a period of time:

-Political events that will bring a period of peace for the USA

-Hidden agendas exposed and a shaking of terrorist activities in a big way

-Unusual access into secular arenas for the purpose of evangelism

-Medical discoveries that will affect the following diseases: Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Parkinson's, a lung disease, and a rare bone disease

-Unusual spiritual manifestations in spiritually uninhabited places with mass responses due to media coverage of these events

-Kingdom appearances in church meetings

Kingdom Appearances

Instead of regular revival meetings, churches that are hungry for fresh things from God will "tarry" until these Kingdom manifestations actually take place. To "tarry" means to remain in one place, spiritually and geographically, while doing whatever needs to be done in your daily activities, especially placing a demand on prayer. This will bring about unity so that the people are in "one accord" regarding the vision, and specifically about what to expect. This will demand prophetic revelation from the leaders. God will give insight to His leaders in the church regarding what will unfold in the years to come, aside from the second return of Christ.

snip

-March 11 will begin disclosures in political circles, and the President will have to use a firm hand against internal enemies

-Cain will be exposed

[Qx: Curious. I wonder what that means . . . ]

A New Born Generation

Ministries that attempted to "destroy and kill" their brothers because of jealousy, accusation, and hatred, will be banished for a season until they are humble again. Then they will bring forth an "Enoch" move of the Spirit. These "Cain" type leaders will love their sons in the Kingdom and even build huge works honoring them, leaving them an inheritance for future generations.

Genesis 4:16-17 "Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And Cain built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son - ENOCH."

[Qx: Hmmmm]

----
snip
----

Genesis 4:25-26 "And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, for God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed. And as for Seth, to him also a son was born, and he named him Enos. THEN MEN BEGAN TO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD."

"March 11 - The 'Beginning of the End' of Major Terrorist Leaders and Movements"

Finally, I saw March 11 as the "beginning of the end" of major terrorist leaders and movements. God will bring them out and will display them before the world. Even though there will always be terror, hatred, aversion, and attacks against Christian Nations, there will be a reluctance to use modern methods of attack in such a violent way against this generation of believers and leaders. However, God has a plan to demote them, but that will be revealed later on.

-Kim Clement

http://www.kimclement.com

Iran Gets Support to Join WTO

February 13, 2004
The Washington Times
John Zarocostas

GENEVA -- The United States this week found itself increasingly isolated in opposing Iran's application for membership in the World Trade Organization.

The European Union spearheaded a push to admit Iran at a meeting of the agency's ruling General Council on Wednesday, backed by a cross section of rich and developing countries.

Candidate countries must be given the right of membership "regardless of political considerations," said EU Ambassador Carlo Trojan, who said the organization "fully supports" the application and believes accession would promote economic reforms in Iran.

Other countries that spoke in support of Iran included China, India, Venezuela, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Switzerland and New Zealand. Tanzania took the floor on behalf of an informal group of developing countries.

Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier was unmoved by the appeals, refusing to budge from the position taken by the Bush administration since Iran's application for membership was first taken up in May 2001.

"We are reviewing [Iran's request] and there's no change at this point," he said.

Iraqi delegates meanwhile lauded a decision by the global body to honor their country's Jan. 23 application for observer status, which came after months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy by the Bush administration.

The decision sends a "very strong signal to the Iraqi people that the international community has accepted them back and that was essential. It has a big psychological impact," said Ahmad Al-Mukhtar, the head of the Iraqi delegation.

Mr. Allgeier said that by pursuing the request, Iraq "has made clear its commitment to the rule of law and the principles that underlie the WTO."

Canadian Ambassador Sergio Marchi said the trade group had done "the right thing for Iraq, and we hope universality of membership will be the dominant principle." Other statements in support of Iraq came from Australia, Japan, the European Union, Kenya, India and China.

Arab members went along with the consensus decision but none spoke out in support with it.

"We could not agree on a single [Arab] text," a senior Arab diplomat told The Washington Times. The official said most Arab countries did not want to upset Iraq or the United States but did not want to be "too positive."

For a number of years, Arab trade diplomats have objected to the U.S. and Israeli policy of blocking membership requests by Syria and Libya, and a bid for observer status by the 22-member Arab League.

http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040212-112149-6904r.htm

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