Posted on 09/06/2004 7:32:34 AM PDT by F14 Pilot
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi has bluntly rejected a nuclear disarmament plan floated by US vice presidential hopeful John Edwards, calling it "campaigning."
Under the plan, thought to have originated with US presidential hopeful John Kerry, Iran could keep its nuclear power plants if it gave up the right to retain bomb-making nuclear fuel.
Floated to the Washington Post last week by Senator Edwards, the proposal was seen in some quarters as an indication that a Kerry presidency would take a dramaticaly different tack in its handling of relations with Iran, which is officially listed by the US as a state sponsor of terrorism -- in fact, as the "most active state sponsor of terrorism in 2003."
Senator Edwards told the WPost that the proposal would represent a "great bargain" for Iran -- and that should Iran reject it, a Kerry administration would be forced to conclude that Iran actually was, as the Bush administration now contends, actively pursuing the weaponisation of nuclear materials.
He said the US would then rally European support for heavy sanctions against Iran.
"If we are engaging with Iranians in an effort to reach this great bargain and if in fact this is a bluff that they are trying to develop nuclear weapons capability, then we know that our European friends will stand with us," Senator Edwards told the WPost.
According to the WPost, Senator Kerry's proposal would see the Iranian nuclear fuel supply supervised and provided by other countries.
President Bush, however, has pressed for a complete end to Iran's nuclear development programme, saying that the country's vast petrochemical base negates any legitimate need for the development of a nuclear-driven source of power.
"Iran has no legitimate requirement for nuclear reactors, uranium enrichment or plutonium production capability. Its huge oil and gas reserves belie a need for even one reactor, let alone several," said one official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, according to China Daily.
Tehran, however, has said it is looking to the future needs of a population that has doubled in the past 25 years and shows no signs of slowing its growth -- or its need for energy, which would grow even faster than it has historically should the nation be successful in its efforts at modernisation of industry.
Rather than welcoming the Edwards initiative, however, which closely resembles plans floated in Europe, Iranian authorities were unmoved, branding the offer as mere campaign rhetoric.
According to an AFP story headlined in Turkish Press, foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters that: "These kind of comments are mostly campaigning, and you cannot accurately assess and appraise these comments. We have to see which candidate gets elected and then see their policies in practice. This is campaigning and nothing new."
New Zealand has been actively courting Iran on the trade front recently but has cautioned the state that it stands strongly against nuclear proliferation.
Two idiots ar work ...
"Senator Edwards told the WPost that the proposal would represent a "great bargain" for Iran -- and that should Iran reject it, a Kerry administration would be forced to conclude that Iran actually was, as the Bush administration now contends, actively pursuing the weaponisation of nuclear materials. "
So does that mean they will be supporting Bush too?
These two would make a great commedy team.
"the Edwards initiative... which closely resembles plans floated in Europe..."
Uh oh Jengis, better call France and get plan B.
Then again, maybe the Iranians are doing their own version of the flip-flop rope-a-dope.
They reject the sKerry/Eddy plan before they accept it.
Sooo complicated.
Iran always has gone its own way. It never listened to the U.S., fought against Hussein for 9 years, supported Islamic terrorits, Palestinian terrorists and made alliances with whomever it wanted (USSR and France) and never cared what the U.S.A. thought of it.
I can't imagine that John "the Breck Girl" Edwards will have ANY impact on Iran.
There is nothing to make me think that Kerry would do one iota better either.
Didn't Kerry vote against funding of the F14's?
Looks like JF'nKerry's kinder, gentler war on terrorism is already a flop.
Or did Iran realize that a full scale war was better than dealing with Kerry. After all, when the war is over the country will be rebuilt. If Kerry screws them they have nothing left except to "put ice on it."
Hahaha.
Great graphic!
Yeah, yesterday the Hardball panel was saying that Kerry does best when American troops die. Today I read that 7 marines were killed in Fallujah. The terrorists might as well sign on as a 527.
Iran a terrorist nation just bitch slapped two bitches.
But the same plan worked so well with North Korea.
Edwards has the authority to negotiate with the government of Iran?
He said the US would then rally European support for heavy sanctions against Iran.
OK, they rejected it...now git rallying.
True, but they won't be a part of it.
Probably not what they have in mind.
Iran has a terrorist GOVERNMENT
Mathews is 24-7 on the demonrats talking points of, "one thousand American soldiers will die in Iraq before the election and that wil defeat Bush".
It must be hell in a person's character to base their success upon hoping and praying that the deaths of their fellow countrymen/women will be the road to political victory.
The rats are basically no different that the one's whom killed the Russian wchildren. The demonrats are encouraging and abeting terrorist acts in assisting their candidate.
The United States has no intention to go to war with Iran
The Kerry Campaign 'strategery' of what's bad for America is good for Kerry is the sick minded and twisted logic you get from someone with no core values or sense of decency.
Shhhh. Iran doesn't know that.
You are splitting hair and nuances. As Bush said, Iran is one of the axis of evil"
If a government uses it's nation, resources, peoples, armies,and surrogates to wage terrorist war, that is a terrorist nation. I have no doubt that Israel dealing with Iran supported hamas and hezbolla on a daily basis considers Iran a terrorist nation.
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