BRUSSELS, Belgium, Feb. 21, 2008
Exile Group: Iran Stepping Up Nuke Program
Opposition Organization Linked To Terror Group Claims Regime Trying To Build Bomb
-
Alireza Jafarzadeh, head of the Washington-based think tank, Strategic Policy Consulting Inc., addresses the media during a press conference organized by the Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Brussels, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
-
Timeline Iran Nuclear Chronology Events in development of Iran's nuclear program since it first came to light.
-
Fast Facts Iran Learn about the people, economy and history.
"The Iran regime entered a new phase in its nuclear project," Mohammad Mohaddessin, of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, said Wednesday.
The NCRI is the political wing of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran, which advocates the overthrow of government in Tehran. The Mujahedeen has been designated a terrorist group by the U.S. and the European Union as well as Iran.
Mohaddessin claimed that Tehran has established a command and research center near a Tehran university. And, he said, Iran is developing a nuclear warhead for use on medium-range missiles at a site on the southeast edge of Tehran. Mohaddessin also claimed that the regime obtained aid from North Korea.
It was not possible to independently verify the NCRI claims. Mohaddessin said his group got the information from "hundreds" of reports and sources from within the Iranian regime, whom he did not name. He said some of the sources are within the nuclear project itself.
An official of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said the agency was aware of the allegations. Mohaddessin said he had provided information to the IAEA on Tuesday.
Iran has steadfastly denied it is working to obtain a nuclear bomb, arguing that its nuclear program is civilian.
A recent U.S. National Intelligence Estimate said Iran halted a nuclear weapons development program in 2003 because of international pressure. But the White House said Iran continues to hide information, remains in violation of two U.N. Security Council resolutions, tests ballistic missiles and is enriching uranium, which can be used to build an atomic bomb.
Four years ago, the group disclosed information about two hidden nuclear sites in Iran. But much of the information it has presented since to support claims of a secret weapons program has not been publicly verified.
The NCRI's claim came a week after diplomats said Iran's new generation of advanced centrifuges had begun processing small quantities of the gas that can be used to make the fissile core of nuclear warheads.
Diplomats told the Associated Press last Wednesday that the centrifuges were working with only minute amounts of the uranium gas used as the feed stock for Iran's uranium enrichment program. And one of them said Tehran had set up only 10 of the machines - far too few to produce enriched uranium in the quantities needed for an industrial scale energy or a weapons program.
Still, the information revealed previously unknown details of the state of Iran's experiments with its domestically developed IR-2 centrifuges, which can churn out enriched uranium at more than double the rate of the machines that now form the backbone of its nuclear project.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed on Tuesday last week that enrichment would not stop.
"I ask the people's view. Would you agree if I ... gave in, surrendered or compromised over the nuclear issue? Would you agree to give up one iota of your nuclear rights?" Ahmadinejad asked the crowd at a massive rally to mark the 29th anniversary of the Islamic revolution. The crowd chanted in response: "No!" and "Nuclear energy is our definite right."
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More From World
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
... - 6
- next
See all 111 CommentsCURVE BALL, now infamous, was discredited as unreliable by our intelligence agencies PRIOR TO THE WAR; BUSH refused to hear anything that did not match his desire for war. Bush and John Bolton probably giggle at night when they are in bed together, plotting their next war fiasco.
I''d be very careful before believing these folks...
Singingrick - if you want war now, go down and enlist in the Marine Corps, and you will get your wish!!
------------------------
You don"t suppose these folks would like to get a war started between Iran and some big Western power, to topple the present regime in Iran, do you?
At a time when all our time and energy should be focused on the threat of Global Warming, we can ill afford to be distracted by idle fearmongering about Iran"s alleged nuclear program.
Father why hast thou forsaken my Jihad?
Father?
Father?!
Please be aware that ''singinrick'' is the legitimate participant!
The other ''s i n g i n G r i c k'' is the fraudulent, troublemaking imposter !!!
It is expected that the forgoing is reported to CBS.
With all due respect for your commentary, and for an individual''s private, personal, religious beliefs - AS LONG AS NOT FORCED/IMPOSED ONTO OTHERS - permit me to pose a few questions to you, sir.
1. Are you prepared to agree that men in ancient times, thought of and wrote rules, laws, etc ?
2. Can we agree that history is part of religion and part of our/mankind''s background beliefs, and at the same time, that religion is part of our/mankind''s history?
3. Is it possible that the leading men of those times(hardly ever women) who wrote, formulated, documented and systematized codes, rules, and laws (eventually evolving into FORMAL religion), had their own subjective interpretations or the modern day equivalent of ''spin'', while using their minds for what in great likelihood was being done with good intentions?
4. Lastly, can we agree that there was a time when no religion, whether Christianity, Judaism, or Islam, ALL DID NOT EXIST?
Though I too was once forcibly held in the grip of religion with all it''s mind-stifling and otherwise limiting aspects and constraints, I excelled in LOGIC, and in the face of all adversities, had the wherwithal to question and reason, ultimately extricating myself from that guilt-and-fear phenomenon.
I look forward to your commments, singinrick, sir.
I have faith that the Iranian exiles will help us uncover Iran''s WMD''s just like Iraqi exiles helped us find Iraq''s huge store of WMD''s.
War now!
Should we resign to these hellish facts and wait like sitting ducks?
STRONG, HARSH MEDICINE URGENTLY NEEDED AGAINST CONTINUING IRANIAN DECEPTIONS
The easy way out - which almost invariably is more costly, more dangerous and more deadly SOON THEREAFTER - is not the correct way or the best way to address conflict. At best, taking the easy, short-term route, is done to appease evildoers, until either their demands on us are greater or worse, or until they are able to inflict more death and destruction upon us.
If a rogue nation - particularly IRAN - is developing nuclear weapons technology, that weapons technology MUST BE taken out NOW, at a relatively small cost. Otherwise, the price we''''ll have to pay later will be FAR WORSE!
Our responsible Western world leaders MUST take all necessary action TO STOP IRAN''''S NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES, which unfortunately includes thorough military action NOW.
Oh, I''m watching all right. I''m watching Israel sit on land they''ve stolen since 1948. And I''m seeing their refusal to make any effort for peace by giving it back. They know that once they make a genuine peace deal, they won''t get the billions of dollars of US military aid.
And I''m watching The Neocons appeasing the extremist righties whom they''ve had to have to keep them in power.
And it''s because of you blind extremists in our own country and the blind extremists in the Middle East that want to kill each other off who promote the ignorance of it all.
Whether it be one or another ''brandname'' of religion, any fair, logical, reasonable or rationale attempt to apply respect and/or recognition in regard to the ''UNDERSTANDING AND CONCEPTUALIZATION'' process, is doomed from the start. Such clouded, tainted, AND INDEED WARPED religious thinking, ELIMINATES chances for both reasoning and reality.
Most, if not ALL attempts to negotiate and resolve conflict and/or differences, are destined to fail if religious basis continues to cripple and paralyze the concerned parties'' ability to think clearly and fairly. Rather than willingness to find solutions, the "My god tells me that I must MURDER AND DIE FOR" clause and BELIEF, continues to be invoked!
It is more than apparent, that death and destruction is the preferred way of irrational, religious ''faithfools.''
The forgoing MUST BE borne in mind at all times as it relates to THE EXTREME DANGER THAT IRAN''S RULING, NUKE-PROCURING OFFICIALS AND CLERICS, POSE TO THE ENTIRE WORLD!!! Accordingly, Iran''s ability to produce NUCLEAR MATERIALS MUST BE PREVENTED at a relatively low current toll/cost WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, BEFORE IRAN ''RELIGIOUSLY'' IMPOSES ITS WILL AGAINST THE WESTERN FREE WORLD.
I have faith that the Iranian exiles will help us uncover Iran''s WMD''''s just like Iraqi exiles helped us find Iraq''s huge store of WMD''s.
Let''s start another war!
I declare Jihad against all Jihadies that Jihad against Bush''''''''s global Jihad!
All Muslims are evil and all Christians are good.
They will know the love of Jesus when we rain bombs down on their children''''s heads!
God is great!
Posted by singingrick
I certainly hope you''re not taught this bigotry and hatred in church--rain bombs on childrens heads??
God--You sound a lot like the terrorist!
Isn''t there a commandment about this?
6--Thou shalt not kill?
Bush''s forgotten commandments:
8--Thou shalt not steal.
9-Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10--Thou shalt not covet_(thy neighbors oil) or anything else!
Ahhhh isn''t it nice to not have to live up to what one preaches---God must be so proud of his faithful followers.
I have faith that the Iranian exiles will help us uncover Iran''s WMD''s just like Iraqi exiles helped us find Iraq''s huge store of WMD''s.
War!
It''s my jihad and I''ll cry if I want to..cry if I want to..cry if I want to...You would cry too if it happened to you!
And your assumption that the prophesies mean that God will somehow protect the Israelis is merely that, assumption.
Father why hast thou forsaken my Jihad?
Father?
Father?!
Iranian exiles are going to give us a great victory in Iran just like the Iraqi exiles gave us a great victory against Iraq''s many WMD''s!
I declare Jihad against all Jihadies that Jihad against Bush''''s global Jihad!
All Muslims are evil and all Christians are good.
They will know the love of Jesus when we rain bombs down on their children''s heads!
God is great!
2 The LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob
like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
and have ruined their vines.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by singinrick at 01:00 PM : Feb 21, 2008
I am fully aware of the UN''s actions in 1948. But I am fully aware of Israel not keeping to its agreements to vacate lands it abscounded with in recent wars.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
... - 6
- next
See all 111 Comments