Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hastened to walk the statement back: "Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, but no power could stop Tehran's access to an atomic bomb if it intended to build it."
Debkafile reports: "The components of a nuclear weapon have been procured, but Tehran has not yet assembled it. And if the Islamic Republic has acquired the components and knowledge for building one bomb, more would be no object."
Last week, The Sunday Times revealed that Iranian scientists attended the latest North Korean atomic test. The nuclear partnership between the two countries assigns Iran with the development of small nuclear warheads and North Korea with ballistic missiles. Through shared technology, they have achieved a nuclear warhead capacity, leaving Tehran the element of surprise.
On Thursday, February 21, a UN nuclear report stated: "Iran has begun installing advanced centrifuges at its main uranium enrichment plant." In response, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warns: "Centrifuge report shows Iran nearing "Red Line" and is closer today than ever before to obtaining the necessary enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb." The White House said "that the window remains open for diplomacy with Iran, but will not stay open indefinitely," according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, Japan has warned it would launch a preemptive military strike against North Korea if it had firm evidence Pyongyang was planning a missile attack. According to Press TV News: Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said, "When an intention to attack Japan is evident, the threat is imminent, and there are no other options. Japan is allowed under law to carry out strikes against enemy targets."
The UN Security Council said in a statement on February 12: "There continues to exist a clear threat to international peace and security." Members of the Council would "begin work immediately on appropriate measures in a Security Council resolution."
It seems Iran's nuclear ambitions are beginning to cause a ripple effect:
- Iran threatening Israel
- Japan threatening North Korea
- North Korea threatening South Korea
- Both Iran and North Korea threatening the U.S.
- How long before China and Russia jump into the act?
Netanyahu's office released a statement quoting the prime minister as saying the latest findings of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were "a very grave report which proves that Iran is continuing to make rapid progress toward the red line." President Obama plans his first trip to Israel next month. Let's hope preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is finally on his agenda.
A wise man once said: "No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism." Winston Churchill
"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows" Matthew 24:6-8.
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