IRAN UPDATE

News and comment on the diplomatic movements over Iran's nuclear programme

No. 106 - 3 October 2007

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SUMMARY

• Ahmadinejad visits Columbia University and is refused a visit to "Ground Zero" in New York.
• At an IAEA conference and a visit to the UN, Iran's president announces that the nuclear issue is "closed".
• US and France step up the 'diplomatic push on Iran', in spite of their commitment to give the Iran-IAEA agreement a chance.
• US erect a military base on the Iraq-Iran border.
• Iranian parliament vote to designate the CIA and US military as 'terrorists'.

President Ahmadinejad's request to lay a wreathe at "Ground Zero" on the 20 September incited a vociferous angry response from many quarters in New York. Joining a chorus of criticism from victims' families, Jewish groups and local politicians, the New York Daily News instructed Ahmadinejad, on its front page, to "Go To Hell". Ahmadinejad also received a hostile reception during his visit to Columbia University on the 24 September.

Whilst in New York Ahmadinejad stated, "I officially announce that in our opinion the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed and has turned into an ordinary agency matter" between Iran and the IAEA. This was clarified later on 1 October by Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, who said the President was simply implying that the matter was currently in a technical phase, with a focus on clarifying particular questions.

There was agreement amongst the P5+1 that they would delay plans for the next set of sanctions until November. ElBaradei said that the onus was now on Iran to cooperate fully with his officials' enquiries.

The US's clear reluctance to accept the Iran-IAEA agreement was accompanied by new US legislation aimed at squeezing Iran economically. Lantos' Iran Counter-Proliferation Act, which targets Iran's energy sector, was passed on the 25 September in Congress by a vote of 397-16. Furthermore, the Lieberman-Kyl amendment to the 2008 Defence Authorisation Bill was passed by the Senate on 26 September. It states that it would be US policy to "combat, contain, and roll back" Iran and its surrogates in Iraq. It also designates the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) a terrorist organisation. In a swift response, the Iranian parliament voted on 29 September to designate the US military and CIA as terrorists.

During an IAEA conference on 21 September, Israel accused Iran of lying about its nuclear program, while Tehran challenged the international community to send UN inspectors to probe its arch-rival's nuclear capabilities, in a rare and unusually bitter direct confrontation.

Iran has reported a successful test flight of a new Iranian fighter jet, in a clear attempt to build a sophisticated domestic defence industry. General Mohammad Alavi, the deputy commander of Iran's air force, is reported to have announced plans to strike back at Israel if Iran were attacked by them.

Iranian involvement has again come under scrutiny after Afghan security forces recovered a shipment of weapons destined for Taliban insurgents that were believed to have come from Iran. NATO's ISAF Commander, US General Dan McNeill dampened speculation, saying "there is no clear proof that the Iranian government is behind these arms discoveries".

In Iraq the US military has been erecting a new military base on the Iraq-Iran border in an effort to halt weapons smuggling from Iran. Ali Larijani, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, offered an olive branch to assist the US stabilise Iraq if Washington presents a timetable for a withdrawal of its troops.

Adam Backhouse, Crisis Action

STORIES AND LINKS

Iran sanctions decision delayed
The world's major powers will delay until November a decision on whether to impose tougher sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear programme.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7018672.stm

Iran must provide nuke programme details by November: ElBaradei
LONDON: Iran must provide key details on its nuclear programme by late November or its unwillingness to work with the international community will backfire, the UN's nuclear chief said in an interview published on Wednesday.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/
Iran_must_provide_nuke_programme_details_by_November_ElBaradei/articleshow/
2423659.cms

Ahmadinejad speaks at Columbia University
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE11eeNOud8&mode=related&search=

Iran threatens to retaliate if West attacks
Iran has threatened to retaliate with missile attacks if Western forces launch raids against the Islamic state's nuclear programme - putting on a defiant show of military force to back up the message.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/22/wiran322.xml

India succumbs to US pressure, misses meet on Iran pipeline: Yechury
India "succumbed to the US pressure" by not attending the meeting finalising the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline deal, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury has said.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=06d9b82f-4fbd-45f1-
8d9e-e7bd8ee7cf2b&MatchID1=4577&TeamID1=7&TeamID2=3&MatchType1=
1&SeriesID1=1148&MatchID2=4569&TeamID3=8&TeamID4=2&MatchType2=
2&SeriesID2=1146&PrimaryID=4577&Headline='India+succumbs+to+US%2c+
misses+Iran+pipeline+meet'

US coalition warns of anti-Iran bill
A coalition of 25 organizations warns the US senate of 'disastrous consequences' of an anti-Iranian bill for the US and entire world. "If we have learned nothing else from Iraq, it is that there are limitations to the use of military force," a statement released by the coalition said.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=25026§ionid=351020101

COMMENTS, EDITORIALS AND ANAYLSIS

Iran and the US must talk
Diplomatic structures are needed to bypass the rhetoric of conflict in Washington and Tehran
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,2176622,00.html

Iran and the Nuclear Issue: Don't Get Boxed In
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/29/opinion/l29iran.htm

A visit from the bogeyman
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presence at the UN general assembly is sucking the oxygen out of the room, writes Julian Borger in the first of a series of dispatches from New York
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2176102,00.html

Neocon 'godfather' Norman Podhoretz tells Bush: bomb Iran
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2558296.ece