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August 22, 2006

What Is Iran Planning For Today, August 22nd? (Updated)

UPDATE-Iran to issue nuclear reply at 1230 GMT -diplomats:

TEHRAN, Aug 22 (Reuters) - (Update with diplomats confirmation) Iran will hand over its response to a nuclear package backed by six nations on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ... (1230 GMT) in the Iranian capital. ... Western diplomats say refusing to suspend the work that has both military and civilian uses would be tantamount to rejecting the package of incentives offered in return.

Update 2: After all of its bluster and apocalyptic babble, the answer to that question is that Iran has a bridge for sale .... again!

If history is any indicator at all of the reaction of the international community, they'll not only buy the bridge, but pay triple the price. The real problem for all of us is that they're paying it with our lives instead of money.

In the way of background:

A former adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the war in Lebanon succeeded in bringing Iran's aggressive regional ambitions to the world's attention.

And Die Welt reports Iran is spending like there's no tomorrow. Literally. Its huge military budget, the accelerated nuclear programme, and the vast sums donated to its satellites in aid and armaments are draining the treasury. The corollary of all this is rising inflation and souring unemployment. Of course there are no figures available. This is based on press reports and deduction, so the real extent of Iran's economic problem is impossible to tell.

EITB24 reports that Iran has said its reply will be "multi-dimensional", suggesting no simple 'yes' or 'no'. Officials have also said Iran wants more talks to resolve the dispute.

Iran, due to reply on Tuesday to a proposal by world powers aimed at defusing a nuclear row, insisted it would not stop enriching uranium as they demand. Refusing to suspend the work, which Iran says is aimed only at generating electricity but which the West sees as a disguised bid for atom bombs, would be tantamount to rejecting the package of incentives offered in return, Western diplomats say.

The AP via Mercury News reports that Iran blocked U.N. inspectors from a nuclear site:

Iran turned away U.N. inspectors from an underground site meant to shelter its uranium enrichment program from attack, diplomats said Monday, while the country's supreme leader insisted Tehran will not give up its contentious nuclear technology.

* ABC News reported that many are concerned with Iran's promise to respond August 22nd to the UN's nuclear offer. August 22nd marks a holy day on the Islamic calendar that is the day of reckoning for Shiites. Islamic expert Robert Spencer said: "The only thing we can know is that the date was not chosen by accident."

* Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Counterterrorismblog saw a possible connection between North Korea's possible nuclear test and Iran's self imposed nuclear deadline of August 22nd.

* Yahoo News reported that Iran has turned away U.N. inspectors wanting to examine its underground nuclear site in an apparent violation of the Nonproliferation Treaty.

* Adnkronos International reported that just hours before Iran is due to give world powers its response to a package of incentives aimed at persuading the country to give up its nuclear activities, new centrifuges have been installed at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility.

* CNN News reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday the Islamic Republic had decided to press ahead with its pursuit of nuclear energy.

* Robert Spencer, FrontPageMagazine.com: Iran's Day of Terror?

* Bernard Lewis, The Wall Street Journal: August 22nd.

* Patrick Poole, FrontPageMagazine.com: Ahmadinejad's Apocalyptic Faith.

* Spiegel Online reported that while the Iranian government appears set to reject the European incentive package on Tuesday. Most Iranians themselves don't know what to think. But many believe that the regime wants the nuclear bomb.

* Tariq Alhomayed, Asharq Alawsat argued that what we are witnessing today is not a by-product of the issue of Iran's nuclear activities, but rather something more important: Iran's resumption of exporting the "Islamic revolution."

* Haaretz reported that Arab League foreign ministers convened for an emergency meeting in Cairo to discuss a plan to create a fund to rebuild Lebanon. Arabs want to counter the flood of money that is believed to be coming from Iran to Hezbollah to finance reconstruction projects.

Cross posted from Hyscience

Posted by Richard at August 22, 2006 6:30 AM