Full Steam Ahead on Nuclear Work, Vows Ahmadinejad

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed today that the world powers would not derail his nation’s nuclear program (see GSN, Feb. 23).

“The train of the Iranian nation is without brakes and a rear gear,” he told a gathering of Islamic clerics.  “We dismantled the rear gear and the brakes of the train and threw them away some time ago.”

Ahmadinejad’s remarks came as diplomats from six key nations were scheduled to meet in London to discuss the next steps the U.N. Security Council might take to try to persuade Iran to freeze its nuclear activities.

The five permanent council members and Germany were expected to discuss ramping up sanctions the council approved in December (Nasser Karimi, Associated Press I/The Hindu, Feb. 26).

Meanwhile, the threat of using military force to prevent a nuclear Iran was suggested again Saturday.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney declined to rule out the option during a visit with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

“We worked with the European community and the United Nations to put together a set of policies to persuade the Iranians to give up their aspirations and resolve the matter peacefully, and that is still our preference,” he said during a press conference.  “But I’ve also made the point, and the president has made the point, that all options are on the table” (Rohan Sullivan, Associated Press II/National Post, Feb. 24).

Also Saturday, the London Telegraph reported that Israel had begun talks with U.S. officials to establish a path through Iraqi air space in case Israel elected to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.

“We are planning for every eventuality, and sorting out issues such as these [is] crucially important,” said a senior Israeli defense official. 

“The only way to do this is to fly through U.S.-controlled air space,” the official added.  “If we don't sort these issues out now we could have a situation where American and Israeli war planes start shooting at each other” (Con Coughlin, The  Telegraph, Feb. 24).

An Israeli defense official later denied the report.

“This is baseless information,” said Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh.  “Maybe people like to divert (attention from) the need for immediate economic sanctions (with) stories about imminent Israeli action, which is not on the agenda” (Associated Press III/International Herald Tribune, Feb. 24)

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