U.S. Official Says Iran 'Very Aggressive'

AP on Yahoo ^ | 12/9/05 | Barry Schweid - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - Iran is closing in on production of nuclear weapons and even U.N. sanctions may not deter the aggressive government in Tehran, a top State Department official said Friday.

Describing the Iranian government as "very aggressive, very determined to develop nuclear weapons," Robert Joseph, undersecretary for arms control and international security, dismissed Iran's contention that it seeks only civilian nuclear power.

"We know this is not the case," Joseph said at the University of Virginia's Miller Center in Charlottesville.

Iran has methodically taken all but one last step to turn out nuclear weapons, he said. "Once they begin to enrich, that is the point of no return."

Negotiations between the European Union and Iran to stop Iran with offers of economic incentives have foundered.

Still, Joseph said the United States was relying on diplomacy to try to deter Iran.

In the meantime, he said, the Bush administration has held off seeking economic sanctions against Iran in the U.N. Security Council in order to solicit the support of Russia and China.

However, Iran is so determined to produce nuclear weapons that sanctions might not stop the accelerating drive, he said.

Negotiation to halt North Korea's nuclear weapons program is "easy compared to Iran," Joseph said.

Unlike North Korea, Iran has huge resources and "is not motivated by a desire to stay isolated. Iran has a very aggressive agenda," Joseph said.

He cited, as an example, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statement that Israel should be "wiped off the map."

The negotiations on North Korea are expected to resume in January. The United States is joined by China, South Korea, Japan, and Russia in trying to stop North Korea with offers of trade and a U.S. pledge that it will not be attacked.

Speaking Friday in Oslo, Norway, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei said the international community was losing patience with Iran over its nuclear program.

ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he hopes the outstanding nuclear issues with Iran will be clarified next year.

"They are inching forward and I'm asking them to leap forward," said ElBaradei, who shares the award with the IAEA.

He said he hopes outstanding nuclear issues with Tehran will be clarified by the time he presents his next report on Iran in March, because "the international community is losing patience with the nature of that program."

"The ball is in Iran's court. It is up to Iran to show the kind of transparency they need to show," ElBaradei told reporters.

He encouraged European negotiators to continue talks with Iran.

[NormsRevenge]

meanwhile..

Members of Greenpeace stage a small demonstration outside the Nobel Institute as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei (L) and Chairman of the Board of Governors Yukiya Amano speak at a news conference inside the building in Oslo December 9, 2005. ElBaradei, who will receive the Nobel peace prize with the IAEA on Saturday, said on Friday he hoped progress will be made to resolve a dispute with Iran over its nuclear programme in 2006. REUTERS/Jarl Fr. Erichsen /Scanpix

[NormsRevenge]

An Iranian woman, holds Islam's holy book Quran, during a rally at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility, to support Iran's nuclear program, just outside Isfahan, 410 kilometers (255 miles) south of Tehran, Iran, in this Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005 file photo. Israel is expanding its war arsenal to deal with what it views as the greatest threat to its existence: a nuclear attack by Iran, although Israeli security officials said a strike against Iran is not on the horizon because of the complications involved (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File))

[PetroniusMaximus]

Here we go.

WW3, Phase II

[metmom]

"U.S. Official Says Iran 'Very Aggressive'"

Well, no DUH!!! Did they just figure this out? And we're electing these guys to represent us in our government? *sigh*

[Brad from Tennessee]

Considering the Iranian fingerprints on numerous acts of terrorism against the U.S., and the sabotage they are committing in Iraq, the Administration should opening support any and all opposition groups in Iran--which includes a Kurdish minority--with money, arms and regional mercenaries.

[msf92497]

Ya think the dorks would've learned a lesson or two from the downfall of their neighboring dictator. God, these A-holes are dense.

Well, give 'em enough rope to hang themselves, then let 'em swing.

Crap. Another turkey shoot.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I got your nuclear energy, right here!

[trek]

Getting involved in a nuclear slugging match with Israel or the United States sounds like the ultimate in martyrdom to me.

[Hugin]

Nuking Iran is obviously right.

[NormsRevenge]

Russian President Vladimir Putin watches the launch of a missile during naval exercises in Russias Arctic North on board the nuclear missile cruiser Peter the Great, August 17, 2005. The United States on Monday said Russia's plans to sell $1 billion in tactical missiles and other arms to Iran would not serve U.S. or regional interests. REUTERS/ITAR-TASS/PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE

---

...And lightning bolts shot forth from the beast's eyes

[NormsRevenge]

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon tours the Israeli-Egyptian border November 29, 2005. REUTERS/GPO/Avi Ohayon

[NormsRevenge]

Accompanied by armed forces commanders, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, second left, reviews, Iran's Shahab-3 missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and reaching Europe, Israel and U.S. forces in the Middle East, displayed during a parade ceremony, just outside Tehran, Iran, in this Sept. 22, 2005 file photo. Iran's space agency is trying to snap up technology from abroad as fast as possible for its satellite program, fearing the West will seek to impose restrictions like those put on the Iranian nuclear program. Iranian officials say they are developing a Shahab-4 missile that could lift a satellite into orbit, but have not given details on when it will be ready. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi/File)

[OldArmy94]

Is it just me or is it that none of our leadership seems to have the willpower to take care of this situation??? Why do we wait for annihilation?? Surely, it seems to me that we know we MUST, MUST, MUST stop Iran in this homicidal pursuit!! But, alas, all we hear is rhetoric and see a bunch of handwringing, all the while whistling past the graveyard.

[joseph20]

The Left, the Democrats, and the Press may have hamstrung the President (or any future President) so that pre-emptive action against Iran has become less likely.

I hope that this President (or any future President) will have the courage to stand up for America and make the hard choice, even when he must endure the treacherous backstabbing of the the masses and hordes of journalists, academics, socialists, liberals, tween-agers, college students, Democrats, political hacks, et al.

[HardStarboard]

>>>Speaking Friday in Oslo, Norway, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei <<<

ElBaradei, Jimmy Carter and a hairball from my cat wouldn't get you a good Latte in Seattle.....or any result in the Muslim world.

[jess35]

Describing the Iranian government as "very aggressive

This assessment comes about 26 years too late.....

[jackson29]

may I correct you?..... minor spelling error in "hordes of" urnalists......."whordes of" journalists

[RicocheT]

I hope to God our US leadership is up for smacking down Iran before they have a deliverable nuke. I am hoping the present policy of restraint has a secret aggressive part.

Slipping Israel a few bunker busters and telling them they have a radar free corridor across Iraq any particular night they ask for would be a good start. Backing an Israeli strike publicly after the fact should be also part of the deal.

[proud_yank]

Iran is closing in on production of nuclear weapons and even U.N. sanctions may not deter the aggressive government in Tehran, a top State Department official said Friday.

HaaaaaaHaaa HaHaaHaa Haaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!! ROFLMAO, and I just blew milk out my nose!! That is rich.

I think that a fresh fart in the breeze has a better chance of detering the aggressive govt in Tehran than the UN does.