TEHRAN, Aug. 2, 2008
Iran: We Won't Give Up Our Nuclear Rights
Ahmadinejad Dismisses Call To Halt Uranium Enrichment Despite Threats Of Further Sanctions
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Iran Produces Enriched Uranium
The U.S. will negotiate with Iran despite the country's production of enriched uranium. The Bush administration previously refused to negotiate unless production was suspended. David Martin reports.
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, right, shakes hands with Syria's President Bashar Assad, during his official welcoming ceremony in Tehran on Saturday, Aug, 2, 2008. (AP/S. Safari, Mehr News Agency)
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The U.S. And Iran
Key events in once friendly, now contentious relationship between Washington and Tehran.
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Events in development of Iran's nuclear program since it first came to light.
Any participation by Iran in international talks on the nuclear issue would "definitely be aimed at reinforcing" those rights, Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying in the report.
The Web site said Ahmadinejad made the remarks during discussions with Syrian President Beshar Assad, who arrived on a two-day visit.
"The Iranian nation will not give up a single iota of its nuclear rights," Ahmadinejad said.
Assad is in Tehran to discuss Iran's controversial uranium enrichment following a request from French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Syria is Iran's closest Arab ally - the two countries have had close relations since 1980, when Syria sided with Persian Iran against Iraq in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.
Assad, who has been seeking a more prominent Mideast role for Syria, promised Sarkozy during a visit to France in July to try to persuade Iran to offer proof to the West that it isn't developing nuclear weapons.
Iran's claims that it only wants nuclear technology for the production of energy have failed to quell Western suspicions that it is seeking a pathway to an atomic bomb.
Tehran was given an informal two-week deadline, set July 19 by the Security Council's permanent members plus Germany, to stop expanding uranium enrichment - at least temporarily - in exchange for their commitment to stop seeking new U.N. sanctions.
The deadline expires this weekend.
Ahmadinejad's stance signaled both a failure of Assad's mission and a rejection of the deadline, although the wording indicated he was not ruling out international talks on Iran's nuclear program.
Press Secretary Dana Perino says the U.S. will consult with its allies on the Iranian statement.
Perino, who had earlier warned of "negative consequences" if Iran rejected the United States' offer, said, "It's a shame that Iran does not take us up on our generous incentives package."
Perino's comments came in Kennebunkport, Maine as President Bush spent the weekend at the Bush family's seaside mansion.
CBS News White House Correspondent Peter Maer, who is in Kennebunkport, said Mr. Bush will be briefed on the response.
In several American cities, protests were staged against a possible U.S.-Iran conflict. In New York City, demonstrators braved heavy rain storms to gather in Times Square.
Sara Flounders, national coordinator of the Stop War in Iran coalition, said the anti-war movement's message had gained traction given the costs the Iraq War has imposed upon the U.S. economy.
"This is a nerve that we've really struck," she told CBSNews.com's Ken Lombardi. "The threat of a new war in Iran at a time of economic hardship in the U.S. - and there isn’t even enough to pay for disabled veterans."
Protesters spoke of learning from the recent past.
"I can't believe we're going to make the same mistake and go back to war again," said Jared Oswald. "I don't see how another war is going to cure anything."
But anti-war protesters weren't the only ones in attendance. Counter-demonstrators waved American flags and chanted in support of President Bush and his policies.
"I'm out here because I don't want those hippies and socialists and jihadi types to be perceived as being the only ones who care enough to be out here in the rain," Eric McLaughlin told CBS News.
Meanwhile in Brussels, a European Union official said Saturday that the office of EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana had not yet received an answer from Iran but expected a reply "in the coming days" after the weekend deadline.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said EU nations and diplomats are not too concerned about Tehran's adherence to the exact deadline - but are keen for Iran to come back with a concrete reply that could form the basis of further negotiations.
Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged Iran to stop playing for time and deliver a "clear answer" to the latest initiative. "Stop dallying," Steinmeier was quoted as saying in an interview with the weekly Der Spiegel that was released Saturday.
Steinmeier said he expected "a clear signal for a mutual freeze: We would freeze our sanctions efforts and Iran the development of its centrifuges." He warned it would be "negligent" for Iran to pass on the opportunity and added that in case of Tehran's refusal, the six nations would consider increasing pressure on Iran "via sanctions."
The Security Council has slapped three sets of sanctions on Iran over its enrichment and reprocessing of uranium, which can produce the ingredients for a bomb but which Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes only.
In Damascus, Syria's official news agency SANA reported on Assad's visit as having affirmed "identical views" of the two countries on "major regional and international" issues. The agency, which is a government mouthpiece, hailed the two nations' rejection of "foreign dictates" and stressed the need for a "timetable for a withdrawal of foreign forces from" Iraq - an allusion to U.S. troops there.
Assad's visit was also to focus on economic ties between Tehran and Damascus that have resulted in over a dozen projects in Syria, worth US$896 million, SANA said, adding that both governments are "seriously seeking to increase the size of joint investments to more than US$3 billion over the next years."
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 264 CommentsConvince the Iranian people that there''s no CONSPIRACY against them (pretty hard to do considering what Bush just did to the leadership of neighboring Iraq), and they''ll feel free to judge their leadership based on their real performance, rather than this ''trumped up'' threat from abroad.
The way to think about Ahmadinejad, is that he''s the Iranian GW Bush: perfectly willing to gain reelection by convincing his population that an imminent threat is out there, ready to pounce the moment he isn''t reelected.
There''s a bunch of Americans that have researched and knows whose really behind all of these wars.
Unfortunately these evil bankers namely the IMF and Federal Reserve System needs all countries to be indebted to them even if it means to use a bunch of Cheney puppet controlled Rockefellar types do draft young people to bomb and occupy your country.
But you can take comfort in this and that is the British East India Company Global Financial Monetary Empire is crashing down.
Soon our banking system will go into bankruptcy along with Fannie and Freddie and a New World Order Under Debt Serfdom will emerge plunging the whole world into Darkness and a New Midieval period of Neo-Futilism.
Where we will build temples of Babel and be mutated and cloned into sub-humans to offer sacrifice and worship the European Monarchies and Oligarchs as the new Pharoes and God-Kings!
The world would be better off without both of them.
Reuters uk January 18, 2008 : " Iran has some awesome colleagues. Russia and China have become guardians of the Iranian economy. They don%u2019t put religion between business and political advantages. The US is sorely lacking in intelligent Foreign Policy. Hitler%u2019s Foreign Policy has been resurrected to serve the needs of an oil agenda and turn the US into the most disrespected and despised world power ".
POSTED: Friday, January 18, 2008
Moscow -- Armed forces will be used if necessary, including preventively and with the use of nuclear weapons, for protection of Russia and its allies, the Russian Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff Yuri Baluyevsky said on Saturday.
"We do not intend to attack anybody. But all our partners must realize that for protection of Russia and its allies if necessary armed forces will be used, including preventively, including with the use of nuclear weapons," Baluyevsky was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.
Baluyevsky reportedly made the statement at a scientific conference of the Academy of Military Sciences January 19, 2008
Posted by mortal3 at 05:56 PM : Aug 02, 2008,,,
Iran is suspected of criminal activities and Iran does very little to clear its name and come clean, in fact Iran continues taunt Israel and the U.S. on an almost daily basis! When a person tries to buy a gun, if the background check raises a flag then the person is prevented from purchasing the weapon. It`s the same thing with Iran, Iran is trying to acquire the capability to make the ultimate weapon, a nuclear bomb, and like a criminal trying to purchase a gun, a flag was raised and the International Community is attempting to prevent Iran from acquiring that weapon, the idea is the same on a small and large scale, keep dangerous weapons out of the wrong hands.
Posted by tbweb
*************
Then they should never have given Bush a brain..OH..wait..what am I saying..
SO LIKE YOU''RE WILLING TO KILL 70 MILLION PEOPLE?
Poser.
You have been getting your news from some unreliable sources it seems. There is a propaganda campaign spreading what you say, but the real story of how Iran has been trying to resolve this peacefully and making real offers that go ignored, is not reported so much.
I guess it''s time for Israel to do the world''s dirty work again. Remember Saddam''s nuclear reactor?
Posted by jeff92706
What with to the punch? Long Range ICBMs? MIRVs? Thermonuclear weapons? maneuverable warheads?
You and your fellow neocon''s blew your wad on Iraq... and what a clvsterfvck THAT has been. You think the adults are going to let you play ''onward Christian soldier'' with Iran? LOL.
Why would Ahmadinejad assume control of the gulf stream anyway? Would he threaten to reduce tropical heating of northern europe?
I''m still trying to imagine this shower, or any shower, in control of the worlds oil. Can''t do it! Might help if you told me what you were drinking.
I''m drinking raw facts, tastes horrible, but it''s better than the loopy juice you''re drinking boy.
Why would Ahmadinejad assume control of the gulf stream anyway? Would he threaten to reduce tropical heating of northern europe?
Posted by ubrew12 at 06:47 PM : Aug 02, 2008
LOL!
Warning; GOP propaganda Stakhanovite on the loose!
Ahmadinejad Dismisses Call To Halt Uranium Enrichment Despite West''s Threats Of Further Sanctions"
No problem. Israel will halt Iran"s Uranium enrichment.
These people want nukes, they''re about to get nukes. Get real.
This is not a party political issue, it''s about our very survival against radical Islam. Don''t believe me? Look at Iran in the 1960''s and early 1970''s. A modern country destroyed by Islamic fundamentalism.
President Obama would destroy Iranian nuclear materials on day one without a nuclear war.
Your choice. An old nut McSame that should be gumming his spinach at the local insane asylum or a leader like President Obama who has the intelligence to protect America on day one and take out Iran without a nuclear war.
Get real, wake up. Click you heels together and get back home.
This is not a party political issue, read my previous post. You online campaigners make me want to puke.
Destroy Iranian nuclear capbilities and take out Iran''s president and his kind without a nuclear war.
And if Saddam Hussein was still in power, and if America''s failed leadership hadn''t squandered all of our "worldwide political influence", Iran'' seeking nuclear anything, probably wouldn''t be an issue right now.
I hope its worth the sacrifice of our major cities in a nuclear exchange with Russia and China who Putin promised as recently as January "There will be no bombing of Iran".
I''m pissed and beyond calling you Neo-con so-called Christian Republicans names; I say you''re a grave and immediate threat to the security and safety of the United States.
Ahmadinejad Dismisses Call To Halt Uranium Enrichment Despite West''''s Threats Of Further Sanctions"
Ahmadinejad doesnt need to shut his nuclear reactor. Israel will do that for him. Just wait n see.
Posted by BagdadsHere2 at 07:06 PM : Aug 02, 2008
I hope so.
America''s military has been too devastated by Bush''s incompetence, so there''s NO WAY we could get involved. It would be a private war - and we could mourn Israel''s self imposed demise later.
Or not.
Worse than Jimmy Carter.
Posted by MCVet- at 07:20 PM : Aug 02, 2008
Worse than Bush and McCain are getting from their fiasco in Iraq?
Highly unlikely....
Posted by OBAMA4PREZZ at 07:25 PM : Aug 02, 2008
And get ready for $300 Barrels of oil and a 30-40 USD Index reading!
He is going to offer Iran a carrot.
Posted by MCVet- at 07:29 PM : Aug 02, 2008
You''re mistaken - that was Bush that sent a "negotiator" to meet with Iran''s people, with McCain''s blessing.
NOT Obama.
Highly unlikely....
Posted by hungry1968 at 07:29 PM : Aug 02, 2008
Stop using A. Hitler strategy to make a lie become true just repeating it over and over and over. Iraq war is an undeniable success. When Bush leaves office our troops will come home with honor like you or not. Just admit and you"ll be happier.
Posted by BagdadsHere2 at 07:35 PM : Aug 02, 2008
Sorry - I don''t like Rove or his politics, and I''m NOT going to stoop to his strategy of repeating lies over and over.
If Iraq is such a success, then why aren''t our troops coming home?
You see how it is all being ochrestrated with Darth Cheney exposing Olmert''s corruption scandel to force his ouster so Neo-con and British agent Netenyahou can take over to strike Iran.
Iran will bomb Israel to Kingdom Come causing an unprecedented crisis in the U.N.
The British and the Americans abolish the U.N. because the whole world will sympathize with Iran and Russia and China will defend the rest of the world against the NAU and the EU in WWIII.
The British were behind Hitler a madman and they are behind Darth Cheney another madman through Mrs. Cheney.
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Posted by MCVet- at 07:56 PM : Aug 02, 2008--
You think I''m joking, just google anything I''ve said
Posted by BagdadsHere2 at 07:35 PM : Aug 02, 2008
If 560,000,000 BILLION dollars, 4000 Americans and perhaps 100000 to 1 Million dead Iraqi''s to depose and hang "One Dictator" (who bought, paid for and propped up by the USA) is your definition of "SUCCESS", I''d HATE TO SEE what you call failure...
Bush and our troops have nothing to do with each other. Remember, Bush had a chance to be one of the troops and instead went AWOL and hid in Alabama and Texas.
Our troops have been and will continue to be fantastic.
Bush is and will remain the Worst President ever in the history of United States.
A country that supports all kind of terrorists Organizations willing to kill innocent American and Israeli citizens can not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. If Iran wants to exercise their nuclear eights they have a simple step to take: renounce terrorism and join the civilized world. Pure and simple.
Bush is and will remain the Worst President ever in the history of United States.
Posted by boatdocster at 08:11 PM : Aug 02, 2008
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I strongly disagree with you. Our troops are the best and the bravest in the world and GWB the greatest commander-in-chief and the greatest terrorists hunter in history. Theres never been so many terrorists imprisoned.
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