Fmr IAEA Inspector: Netanyahu’s Cartoons about Iran’s Nuclear Program Are 'Baseless and Childish'

In a ‘show and tell’ type talk, Netanyahu claimed that Iran is developing a nuclear weapons program and tried to provide evidence that Iran is violating the JCOPA. Former US IAEA Nuclear Weapons Inspector Robert Kelley tells TRNN Netanyahu’s claims are baseless, self-serving, and childish

North Korea Agrees to Stop Nuclear Tests

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The United States said on Wednesday that North Korea has agreed to halt its nuclear programme and allow back UN inspectors, in a surprise breakthrough soon after the communist state's veteran leader died.

Welcoming the progress, President Barack Obama's administration said it would move ahead on a long-mulled plan to deliver 240,000 metric tons of food aid to the impoverished state which suffered a major famine in the 1990s.

But the agreement, reached after talks last week in Beijing, is certain to be met with scepticism in many quarters as North Korea has repeatedly agreed to end its nuclear programme only to renounce agreements when tensions rise.

"The United States still has profound concerns regarding North Korean behaviour across a wide range of areas, but today's announcement reflects important, if limited, progress in addressing some of these," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement. » | AFP | Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Iran on Brink of Nuclear Weapon, Warns Watchdog
THE TELEGRAPH: Iran has passed a crucial nuclear threshold, weapons inspectors have warned, and could now go on to arm an atomic missile with relative ease.

Hillary Clinton during the imposition of sanctions. The may be hurting the economy but Iran's weapons programme is continuing. Photo: The Telegraph
A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iranian nuclear scientists had made at least 22 kilograms of enriched uranium at least 20 per cent purity, a technical hurdle that is the hardest to overcome on the way to weapons-grade uranium.

Experts estimate that 20 kgs of uranium is the minimum required to arm a warhead. The uranium would still need to have its purity raised to 90 per cent, but that is a relatively easy process.

The agency's report comes in spite of the recent imposition at the United Nations of a fresh round of sanctions against Iran and will heighten fears of an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear plants. The prospect of an attack had receded only recently with American assurances that Tehran was more than a year away from acquiring a bomb.

The Vienna-based nuclear watchdog said Tehran had maintained its absolute defiance of international pressure to curb its programme despite the imposition of harsh sanctions in May. The IAEA has grown increasingly alarmed at Iran's behaviour and the latest report, which will be presented to the agency's governors at a meeting next week, lambasted Tehran on a series of fronts. >>> Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Monday, September 06, 2010

While the West dilly-dorks and faffs around with sanctions which will never have the desired effect, Iran continues with its nuclear programme. When the Iranians will have the bomb, and will be able to threaten Israel and Europe, it will be too late. And all this is taking place on Hussein Obama's watch. Sanctions won't work against the mullahs of Iran, no more than they'd have worked against Hitler and Nazi Germany. Find your backbone and deal with the matter. Get with the story! – © Mark

Blow to Barack Obama's Strategy as Iranian Lawmaker Attacks UN Nuclear Deal
THE TELEGRAPH: A powerful Iranian lawmaker has joined criticism of United Nations plans for Tehran to ship uranium abroad for enrichment in a new blow to Barack Obama's diplomatic approach.

The senior legislator's comments came a day after Iran missed a deadline to respond to the International Atomic Energy Agency on a deal backed by the US, European powers and Russia - bringing President Barack Obama's policy of diplomatic engagement with Tehran close to collapse. >>> Philip Sherwell in New York | Saturday, October 24, 2009

Ahmadinejad Declares End to Debate Over Iran's Nuclear Ambitions
TIMES ONLINE: Barack Obama’s hopes of persuading Iran to renounce its nuclear ambitions were dashed today as the United Nations watchdog admitted it had reached a “stalemate” with Tehran and President Ahmadinejad declared the nuclear debate “over”.

Mr Ahmadinejad’s show of defiance came as the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) gathered in Vienna to discuss Iran’s continuing failure to answer lingering questions about an alleged military dimension to its nuclear programme.

The Iranian leader vowed to forge ahead with uranium enrichment even as the clock ticked down to an end of September deadline set by Mr Obama for Tehran to resume negotiations with representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, the so-called five-plus-one.

While Iran would be willing to engage with the world on issues of global concern, the nuclear issue was off the table. “From our point of view, Iran’s nuclear issue is over,” Mr Ahmadinejad declared. >>> Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent | Monday, September 07, 2009

North Korea Is Fully Fledged Nuclear Power, Experts Agree
This image, made available for the first time on Tuesday April 7, shows the launch of a missile in Musudan-ri, North Korea. Experts say the country is a nuclear power. Photo courtesy of TimesOnline
TIMESONLINE: North Korea has become a fully fledged nuclear power, with the capacity to wipe out cities in Japan and South Korea.

The uncomfortable truth has been confirmed by a number of experts, from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency to the US Defence Secretary. According to intelligence briefings shown to academic experts, North Korea has successfully miniaturised nuclear warheads that could be launched on medium-range missiles.

This puts it ahead of Iran in the race for nuclear attack capability, and significantly alters the balance of power between North Korea’s large but poorly equipped military and the South Korean and US forces ranged against it.

“North Korea has nuclear weapons, which is a matter of fact,” the head of the IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, said this week. “I don't like to accept any country as a nuclear weapon state. We have to face reality.” >>> Richard Lloyd Parry in Tokyo | Thursday, April 23, 2009

Split Widens Over Iran’s Nuclear Plans
THE TELEGRAPH: International divisions over Iran's nuclear ambitions deepened yesterday after the world's nuclear watchdog pleaded for more time for its inspections regime despite admitting international knowledge of Teheran's nuclear programme had diminished.

Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), endorsed Iranian pledges to provide better access to its clandestine atomic programme within "several weeks" even though Iran had failed to bridge a "confidence deficit" with inspectors.

But America, which is leading a campaign for a new round of sanctions on Iran, warned that Iran had shown no signs of compliance. "We have seen this before: promises of full co-operation under pressure, selective co-operation and backsliding when the pressure comes off," said Greg Schulte, the US ambassador at the IAEA.

"Despite four years of intensive investigation and the launch of this work plan four months ago, the IAEA remains unable to confirm the absence of undeclared nuclear activities in Iran." Split widens over Iran’s nuclear plans (more) By Damien McElroy

Mark Alexander

Iran Has Not Suspended Unranium Enrichment, Says IAEA
BBC: The UN nuclear watchdog has said Iran has provided it with information about its past nuclear activities as agreed under a work plan made in August.

But a new IAEA report also said Iran had not suspended uranium enrichment work as demanded by the UN Security Council and had 3,000 centrifuges.

The US said it proved Tehran continued to defy UN calls to suspend enrichment and should face further sanctions. UN mixed on Iran nuclear report (more)

IAEA Report (PDF)

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FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG:
Interview Norman Podhoretz: Warum wir Iran bombardieren müssen

Mark Alexander