Posted on 10/14/2005 7:28:25 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
UK 'sells' bomb material to Iran
DTI is accused of approving controversial exports
British officials have approved the export of key components needed to make nuclear weapons to Iran and other countries known to be developing such weapons.An investigation by BBC Radio 4 programme File on Four will disclose that the Department of Trade and Industry allowed a quantity of the metal, Beryllium, to be sold to Iran last year.
That metal is needed to make nuclear bombs.
Britain has had an arms embargo to Iran since 1993 and has signed up to an international protocol which bans the sale of Beryllium to named countries, including Iran.
MP's concerns
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, Menzies Campbell, who has been alerted to the BBC programme's material, is said to be extremely alarmed.
Beryllium is a metal with a limited number of high-tech uses in civilian industry, but is mostly used in defence applications and is a vital component in a nuclear bomb.
The programme has also interviewed a leading nuclear weapons expert in the UK who says that the Beryllium and other items which the DTI has licensed to Iran add up to a shopping list for a nuclear weapons programme.
The UK has an arms embargo against Iran, but not a trade embargo.
Export control weaknesses
The programme highlights the weaknesses in the UK's new export control system, which was set up to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
It will reveal that Iranian procurement agents have been working in the UK to get sensitive material back to Iran, and that Pakistan has also been successful in procuring material for its nuclear programme from here.
It is also likely to cause concern among Britain's allies.
President Bush named Iran as part of an "axis of evil" accusing the Iranian regime of sponsoring terrorism.
- Iran Press News reported that the three Kurdish journalists, who were arrested and charged with being party to the incitement of the July/August protests in Kurdistan, have been found guilty of "Combat against God."
- Iran Press News reported that Bina Darab-Zand, member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Front of Iran who had been ordered to appear in court for a hearing, refused to attend.
- Iran Press Service reported that Iran wants to restart the nuclear negotiations without preconditions, except their precondition of having the right to develop the full nuclear cycle.
- Iran Focus reported that at least 1,300 Iranians remain in Iraqi prisons of which 98 percent are undercover military or intelligence agents to Iraq under the cover of pilgrims.
- SMCCDI reported that an Islamist judge was wounded by an individual who had planned to burn his victim and himself in sign of protest against the Islamic regime's judiciary system.
- Jahangir Amuzegar, Middle East Policy Council produced an appraisal of Iran's Third Development Plan. For instance, the report criticizes Iran's centralized planning of the economy.
- Reuters reported that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will lobby Russia to pressure Iran over its suspected nuclear arms program.
- Reuters reported that two Pentagon consultants said: Can the United States live with a nuclear-armed Iran? Despite its rhetoric, it may have no choice.
- Reuters reported that UK Defense Secretary John Reid stepped up accusations on Thursday that Iranians were behind a series of roadside bomb attacks on British troops in southern Iraq.
- Nazila Fathi, The New York Times thinks there was a shift in Iran when it said they would agree to resume nuclear talks.
- Martin Sieff, United Press International reported that suddenly, Iran's growing influence in Iraq is top of the national security agenda again in Britain and America. The question is, what to do about it?
- Gulf Times reported that the European Union severely criticized Iran’s human rights record yesterday, saying its performance on the death penalty, freedom of expression and religious liberty had deteriorated.
- Rooz Online reported on that Ganji was still not being permitted visitors, is apparently in solitary confinement and the spokesman for Iran's Judiciary admitted: We have tried to put Mr. Ganji off the spotlight...
- Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor reported that Iran's new president, more than 100 days into his term, faces persistent discontent at home.
- Shahram Rafizadeh, Rooz Online reported on the current offensive against Human Rights Groups in Iran.
- Shirin Ebadi, Rooz Online said that based on Iran’s constitution, all court hearings are to be public, except in very rare legal situations. ... but this a measure that has not been observed in many of the judicial cases.
- AME Info reported that Iran has shut down production from two oil fields because of difficulties selling the heavy oil the sites produce.
- And finally, Cox & Forkum published another cartoon: Outside Influence.
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Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!
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Holy crap.
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Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!
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