Posted on 02/16/2005 8:20:54 AM PST by Valin
A POWERFUL blast occurred near Iran's Gulf port of Daylam today and witnesses reported seeing a missile being fired from an unidentified plane, local television reported.
The blast came at a time of high tensions between the US and Iran, which is under intense international pressure over its nuclear activities.
Local officials have been dispatched to the site to identify the cause of the explosion in an uninhabited area in the south of the country, according to Arab-language television Al-Alam.
A government source told the television the explosion could have been the result of a fuel tank falling from an Iranian plane, contradicting reports that it was a missile.
Daylam is about 150km from Bushehr, where a controversial nuclear plant is being built with Russian help.
The United States has warned of possible military action over Iran's nuclear activities, charging that its efforts to develop nuclear fuel are a cover for an atomic weapons program.
News of the blast sent the US stock market lower.
US media reports have said the US has been flying drones over Iran since April 2004, seeking evidence of nuclear weapons programs and probing for weaknesses in Iran's air defences.
Earlier today, Iranian Intelligence Minister Ali Younessi confirmed the presence of "American spying instruments" in the skies over Iran and warned that they would be hit. However, he spoke of satellites rather than spy planes.
"We have the means to hit them (these instruments) and if (they) get near, our anti-aircraft defence systems will attend to it," said Younessi.
"Americans have been conducting spying activities in Iranian sky for a long time."
Washington, which accuses Iran of being a prime sponsor of terrorism, claims Iran's nuclear program is a cover for plans to build atomic weapons.
However, Iran has staunchly denied the allegations and the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, Mohamed ElBaradei, said in an US interview published today there was no evidence that Tehran was developing nuclear weapons.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom claimed during a visit to London that Iran was six months away from having the knowledge to build a nuclear bomb, and said the problem must be tackled by the entire world.
Relations between Tehran and Washington have deteriorated since US President George W. Bush took office for the second time in January, caused principally by the nuclear standoff and Iran's alleged interference in Iraq.
Mr Bush has refused to exclude the possibility of military strikes should Iran continue with its alleged atomic armaments program.
To stave off the threat of UN sanctions, as demanded by Israel and the US, Britain, France and Germany are trying to convince Iran to stop uranium enrichment in exchange for economic and political rewards.
Sure, they only to shout up "Hey, you 72 virgins, kick down that satellite with your babouches (slippers)!"
LOL
Not Uncle Sam for sure, we wouldn't miss by 150km :)
Decent = Disent?
thanks for the correction
If it had been us, there would have been multiple blasts and something of value would havebeen destroyed.
If it had been us, there would have been multiple blasts and something of value would have been destroyed.
Got it... Thanks!
There is no Kurdish area in north of Iran
There are approximately 4 million Kurds in Iran. They are the third most important ethnic group in the country after the Persians and Azarbaijanis and account for about 9 percent of the total population. They are concentrated in the Zagros Mountain area along the western frontiers with Turkey and Iraq and adjacent to the Kurdish populations of both those countries
http://countrystudies.us/iran/40.htm
A muslim from the U.N. says that Iran has no weapons capability, and we are supposed to believe him?
They mostly live in west of Iran however there are some kurds in NE of Iran but not in north by the caspian sea.
Alright.
Maybe a warning shot. There seems to be confusion amongst terrorists when they are struck by their own approach of deniable involvement. Whoever is behind this, perhaps a work of God, should score an additional point for making mullahs give the bizarrest of stories only second to their 10m martyrs.
"There is no genocide in Sudan" - Kofi Annan (only 3,000,000 dead in the past ten years)
"There is no genocide in Sudan" - Kofi Annan (only 3,000,000 dead in the past ten years)
I guess the threshold is 3,000,001.
Never argue with a fighter pilot. He WILL shoot you down. ;^)
I was hoping he was one of those Iranian F14 pilots.
I've heard they have got some trouble with maintenance and all :-)
Cheers.
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