http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?Stor...27-015324-9645r

Britain rules out strike on Iran

--------------------
On Visit, Putin Criticizes Iran's Nuclear Program
--------------------

From Times Wire Reports

April 29 2005

On the first visit by a Kremlin leader to Israel, Russian President Vladimir V. Putin aimed sharp words at Iran because of its nuclear program.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...headlines-world

http://www.voanews.com/english/Iran-May-Re...-Talks-Fail.cfm

Iran May Resume Nuclear Work as Talks Fail

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GD29Ak01.html

Stirring the ethnic pot
Iason Athanasiadis

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GD29Ak02.html

Democratic Backlash
Kaveh L Afrasiabi

--------------------
Iran Likely to Restart Enrichment
--------------------

From Associated Press

May 1 2005

TEHRAN; Iran said Saturday that it was likely to resume activities related to uranium enrichment within a week, a process it had halted last year to build confidence in talks with European countries and avoid referral to the United Nations Security Council for possible sanctions.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...headlines-world

Iran May Resume Nuclear Work as Talks Fail

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=D32DD6:2F72C9D

Iran froze all uranium enrichment activities in November as part of an
agreement with EU

Undated satellite image provided by Space Imaging/Inta SpaceTurk shows
once-secret Natanz nuclear complex in Natanz, Iran, about 150 miles
south of TehranIran says it may resume some nuclear fuel activities in
the coming days, after it failed to reach an agreement with the
European Union over its nuclear program.

Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani said Saturday it was
unlikely the Islamic Republic would resume actual uranium enrichment.
But he said some other form of nuclear work could resume next week.

Iran froze all uranium enrichment activities last November as part of
an agreement with the European Union's three negotiating countries.
British, French and German officials have offered Iran economic
incentives in return for giving up uranium enrichment.

The United States accuses Tehran of trying to obtain nuclear weapons.
But Iran says its nuclear program is only for generating electricity.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/internat...059&partner=AOL

Threats by Iran and North Korea Shadow Talks on Nuclear Arms

Iran issues nuclear warning to US :

The spiritual leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned the United States to stay out of his country's nuclear programme. Speaking on a tour of south-east Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei said the US was arrogant, rude and deserved a punch in the mouth.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4503915.stm

Iran's Khamenei to US: nuclear programme is none of your business:

"You do not have the right to judge if a nation needs nuclear energy or not," he said.
http://www.bakutoday.net/afps/english/shar...5.v5zu6exa.html

http://snipurl.com/eljl

Iran Plans Defense of Nuclear Program

By Dafna Linzer

Iran is planning to mount a staunch defense of its nuclear energy program at an international conference beginning today and will insist on rights to the same technology afforded to all members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a senior Iranian official said in an interview yesterday.

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...er=emailarticle

U.S. Urges Punishment For Iran Nuclear Work

By Dafna Linzer

UNITED NATIONS, May 2 -- The Bush administration said Monday that Iran was trying to build atomic weapons in secret and suggested the international community should respond by taking away Tehran's right to nuclear energy technology.

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...er=emailarticle

--------------------
U.S. Lambastes Iran, N. Korea at U.N. Meeting
--------------------

Conflict over the right to technology puts a conference to review the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in jeopardy.

By Maggie Farley
Times Staff Writer

May 3 2005

UNITED NATIONS; At a key U.N. disarmament conference Monday, the U.S. lashed out at Iran and North Korea for their purported pursuit of atomic weapons and demanded that Iran dismantle its uranium enrichment facilities.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,3162086.story

Iran Vows to Restart Some Nuclear Activities

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=D42755:2F72C9D

Tehran says suspension of uranium enrichment will be maintained as
long as nuclear talks between Iran and Britain, Germany and France
continue

Reactor building of Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant Iran says it
will resume some nuclear activities that had been suspended as part of
a deal with European negotiators, but vowed to maintain its current
freeze on uranium enrichment.

A foreign ministry spokesman in Tehran said the government is still
discussing what nuclear activities to resume. He said the suspension
of uranium enrichment will be maintained as long as nuclear talks
between Iranian and European officials from Britain, Germany and
France continue.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi is expected to
mount a staunch defense of Tehran's nuclear program Tuesday at an
ongoing U.N. conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

During the opening session of the conference Monday, U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State Stephen Rademaker said Iran was in clear violation
of the treaty and called for tough measures unless it gives up the
sensitive aspects of its nuclear program.

Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Iran, North Korea Issues Dominate Opening of Nonproliferation
Conference

(http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=D42756:2F72C9D

United States proposing international measures against countries in
violation of nuclear non-proliferation obligations

UN meets on nuclear non-proliferation treatyConcerns about Iran and
North Korea have dominated the opening session of a month-long
conference on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. The United
States is proposing international measures against countries in
violation of nuclear non-proliferation obligations.

Secretary-General Annan Monday warned that the 1970 nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) must be updated to meet challenges
unforeseen when it was signed 35 years ago. Mr. Annan's warning came
in an address to a conference at the United Nations to review the NPT,
considered the cornerstone of arms control.

"The plain fact is that the regime has not kept pace with the march of
technology and globalization, and developments of many kinds in recent
years have placed it under great stress," he said.

Mr. Annan acknowledged that the NPT review conference faces a number
of daunting challenges that have cast serious doubt on its chances for
success. Among them is a clash of priorities.

On one hand, countries such as the United States, want to focus on
issues such as Iran, North Korea and preventing terrorists from
acquiring nuclear weapons. On the other are those pushing the big
powers to make a stronger commitment to nuclear disarmament.

In his speech, the secretary-general did not mention any country by
name, but he issued a clear challenge to Russia and the United States
to further reduce nuclear stockpiles built up during the Cold War.

"An important step would be for former Cold War rivals to commit
themselves irreversibly to further cuts in their arsenals, so that
warheads number in the hundreds, not the thousands," he said.

U.S. delegate to the conference, Assistant Secretary of State Stephen
Rademaker was more blunt. He referred several times to Washington's
concern about suspected nuclear weapons activity in North Korea and
Iran.

He expressed support for European Union efforts to persuade Tehran to
provide assurances that it has ended its clandestine nuclear weapons
program. But he called for international action against countries that
violate their nuclear non-proliferation obligations.

"Even today, Iran persists in not cooperating fully. Iran has made
clear its determination to retain the nuclear infrastructure it
secretly built in violation of its NPT safeguards obligations, and is
continuing to develop its nuclear capabilities around the margins of
the suspension it agreed to last November," he said.

Mr. Rademaker also noted that North Korea had violated the NPT
repeatedly before withdrawing from the treaty two years ago. He
reiterated Washington's rejection of Pyongyang's call for direct
negotiations on ending its nuclear weapons program.

"We are attempting to bring together the regional players in the Six
Party Talks to convince Pyongyang that its only viable option is to
negotiate an end to its nuclear ambitions. We have tabled a proposal
that addresses the North's stated concerns and also provides for the
complete, verifiable, and irreversible elimination of North Korean
nuclear programs," he said.

The NPT is reviewed every five year at a conference where consensus
political commitments are not legally binding, but reinforce
non-proliferation initiatives. Nearly all 191 U.N. member states are
participating.

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi is due to address the
gathering Tuesday.

Aside from North Korea, which withdrew, only three countries, India,
Pakistan and Israel, have not signed the NPT convention, and are not
attending the conference.

Iran insists it won't give up nuke program Chicago Sun-Times

--------------------
Europeans Seek U.S. Help in Iran Talks
--------------------

The effort to rein in Tehran's nuclear activity is foundering, and the EU wants Washington to offer new incentives.

By Tyler Marshall and Maggie Farley
Times Staff Writers

May 4 2005

WASHINGTON; European countries seeking to negotiate an end to Iran's nuclear enrichment program are asking the Bush administration for more help, saying the United States should offer Tehran new incentives to revive foundering talks, U.S. officials said.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...0,7570374.story

Iran slams US over nuclear stance :

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi demanded assurances that the US would not launch a nuclear strike on Iran.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4508903.stm

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/commo...55E2703,00.html

Iranian N-program brings 'national pride
Geoff Elliott

Fri. 6 May 2005

Iran Focus Special Report – Part 1

Berlin (Germany), May 06 – Iranôs Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS)
is ranked by experts as one of the largest and most active intelligence agencies
in the Middle East, having masterminded 450 acts of terrorism throughout the
world since the 1980s, yet it has been shrouded in so much mystery that apart
from the occasional revelations by the Iranian Resistance, little has ever been
made public about its operations and functions. Its secret budget and unchecked
power have turned it into one of the key pillars of the Iranian theocracy.

The MOIS is also one of the most secretive agencies in the world and its command
structure is directly answerable to the Iranian regimeôs Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Intelligence Minister
The current Minister of Intelligence and Security, Hojatoleslam Ali Younesi, was
appointed the Head of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran and later Head of the
Politico-Ideological Bureau of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) soon
after the 1979 revolution that toppled the Shah. In 1982 Younesi was appointed
Religious Judge of the Military Revolutionary Tribunals. He was one of the
founders of the MOIS. In 1986 he was appointed representative of the Supreme
Leader to oversee the reconstruction of the Intelligence Directorate of the army
upon the order of Ayatollah Khomeini. In 1987 he became the Representative of
the Acting Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces at the Intelligence
Directorate of the army, and was appointed a religious judge.

The summer of 1988 marked a turning-point in Younesiôs rise within the clerical
regimeôs hierarchy. As one of the religious judges charged with implementing
Ayatollah Khomeiniôs fatwa to execute all õnon-repentantæ political prisoners,
Younesi distinguished himself by presiding over one of the most ruthless
tribunals, dispatching prisoners to their deaths summarily after trials that
barely lasted more than five minutes.

Younesiôs performance in 1988 led to his promotion to one of the top slots in
the Iranian regimeôs judicial system and he became the head of the Judicial
Organisation of the Armed Forces.

When in 1999 another Shiite cleric, Dorri Najafabadi, needed to be replaced as
Minister of Intelligence and Security in the wake of the disclosure of MOIS
agentsô murder of dozens of intellectuals and dissidents, Younesi was given the
job.

Span of the Secret Network
The MOIS is a ministry only in name, for it operates under the direct
supervision of the Supreme Leader. It is not accountable to either the cabinet
or the parliament, has a secret budget, and stands above the law. Over the past
two decades, it has grown into a huge machinery of political repression.

The Iranian regimeôs use of terrorism as an adjunct to foreign policy has
developed into an organised and professional activity over the last 25 years
masterminded by the MOIS. It has been used as a lever to gain advantages from
Western countries or to exert more pressure on surviving opponents of the
regime. Many of Iranôs diplomats have a record of previous service with the
MOIS, the IRGC, and other security agencies. The MOIS works in coordination with
the Foreign Ministry in operations carried out abroad, making particular use of
Iranian embassies worldwide as hubs for gathering intelligence and diplomatic
passes for agents involved in terrorist activities.

Internally, agents of the MOIS are rigorously tested before they are given
security clearance and trusted enough to take part in operations which could
potentially implicate the highest levels of the regimeôs leadership to state
corruption should someone decide to expose the agency. Many of the members, who
themselves were handpicked from other security agencies inside the country, are
first required to take part in the killing and torturing of dissidents, to
ensure their loyalty to the regime and its Supreme Leader. Only the most loyal
cadres are inducted into the organisation.

Throughout the years, on a number of occasions, the MOIS has gone through
õinternal purgesæ, whereby agents showing weakness conveniently õdisappearedæ or
õcommitted suicideæ. From 1997 to 1998, after a series of gruesome murders of
Iranian dissidents by MOIS õliquidatorsæ became public, the then-deputy
Intelligence Minister Saeed Emami was jailed on conspicuous charges, and later
õcommitted suicideæ in prison. The regime thus prevented any leak of sensitive
information about the MOIS operations, as this would have compromised the entire
leadership of the Islamic Republic. Such internal purges and murders within the
MOIS sparked a feud at the highest levels of the agency, which landed top
officials from the loosing side in prison.

In subsequent issues, Iran Focus will elaborate on the principle aims and
objectives of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security and its activities and
targets.

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/arti...hp?storyid=2023

A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NUCLEAR RESEARCH IN IRAN

Iranian research on nuclear engineering, nuclear safety and
related aspects of nuclear science and technology has left a
considerable footprint in the published literature.

For a compilation of recent publications by Iranian researchers,
see "Iranian Nuclear Science Bibliography: Open Literature
References" by Mark Gorwitz, May 2005:

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iran/nuke/biblio.pdf

Iran converted raw uranium into gas :

“We converted all the 37 tons of uranium concentrate known as yellowcake into UF-4 at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility before we suspended work there,” said Mohammad Saeedi.
http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/05/09/story201738.html

Iran's gasoline imports to top dlrs 4.5 billion this year :

The total refining capacity is 40 million liters daily where as the gasoline consumption is estimated to exceed 64.5 million liters daily this year.
http://www.payvand.com/news/05/may/1066.html

http://snipurl.com/erlf

Iran Acknowledges Work Toward Enriched Uranium
(Associated Press)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5050901302.html

Tuesday, May 10
Iran said it has converted 37 tons of raw uranium into hexafluoride gas, its first acknowledgment of advances made in the production process for enriched uranium before it formally suspended nuclear activity in November under international pressure.

The announcement, which means Tehran would be in a position to quickly start enriching uranium if it lifts the suspension, comes as European negotiators are trying to seal an agreement to ensure that Iran's nuclear program does not produce weapons.

http://www.techcentralstation.com/050905F.html

How the West Can Win Iran
Jaan Sepp

http://www.antiwar.com/lobe/?articleid=5907

Neocons Exploiting Domestic Unrest in Iran?
Jim Lobe

Bombs Won't 'Solve' Iran

Iran is threatening to restart its suspended uranium enrichment program. If it does, negotiations with the European Union will collapse and the crisis will escalate. Does the United States -- or Israel -- have a military option?

Vice President Cheney seems to think so, or at least he did in January. "Iran is right at the top of the list," he told radio host Don Imus on Inauguration Day. Cheney came close to endorsing military action, noting that "the Israelis might well decide to act first and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards."

A bit of history: Back in June of 1991, then-Defense Secretary Cheney gave a photograph of the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak to the man who had commanded the Israeli air force during the raid on the site in 1981. "With thanks and appreciation for the outstanding job he did on the Iraqi Nuclear Program in 1981," Cheney wrote, "which made our job much easier in Desert Storm." Cheney may have forgotten that the Reagan administration condemned the raid when it took place, as did most nations. And he may not be aware that the Israeli raid, far from crippling Iraq's nuclear program, actually accelerated it. The raid was a tactical success but a strategic failure.

After Israel bombed the Iraqi reactor on June 7, 1981, using U.S.-supplied F-16s and F-15s, the Reagan administration said, "The United States government condemns the reported Israeli air strike on the Iraqi nuclear facility, the unprecedented character of which cannot but seriously add to the already tense situation in the area." Most other nations joined in denouncing the action.

Israel defended the raid by saying that the Osirak reactor "was intended, despite statements to the contrary, for the production of atomic bombs. The goal of these bombs was Israel." The Israelis were right, at least about Saddam Hussein's plan to use the reactor to make bomb fuel. He intended to use the research reactor Iraq had purchased from France in 1979 to irradiate uranium, producing plutonium that could be extracted for the core of a bomb. The 40-megawatt reactor was near completion at the time of the raid, but it had not yet been fueled with uranium rods.

The raid was hotly debated in the government of Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Many, such as Yehoshua Saguy, the head of the intelligence division of the Israeli Defense Forces, argued that Israel should continue to try to find a nonmilitary solution to the threat, as it would take Iraq five to 10 years to produce the material needed for a bomb. In the end, Begin went with the worst-case estimate of a bomb within one to two years and ordered the attack.

The raid, however, speeded up the Iraqi program. According to former Iraqi nuclear official Khadir Hamza, "Israel made a mistake." Hussein had planned to slowly divert plutonium from the reactor, which was under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. His diversion plan might have escaped detection, but with what we now know, it also probably would have taken much longer than even the 10 years Saguy and others estimated at the time. The program was proceeding slowly and had run into numerous technical problems, while Iraq's intense war with Iran was diverting resources from the project. The raid, however, energized Saddam Hussein. He launched a new effort to secretly construct gas centrifuges and other devices (particularly electromagnetic isotope separation units) to produce weapons-grade uranium. The program went underground and mushroomed. "At the beginning we had approximately 500 people working, which increased to 7,000 working after the Israeli bombing," Hamza explained to a Washington audience in November 2000, "The secret program became a much larger and ambitious program."

Israel had pulled off a remarkable military raid, striking targets with great precision over long distances. But the bombing set back Israel more than Iraq. It further harmed Israel's international reputation, later worsened by the ill-fated 1982 invasion of Lebanon, while making Iraq appear a victim of Israeli aggression. Officials heralded the "Begin doctrine" of preemptive strikes, but the attack made Israel complacent. In the words of Israeli-born scholar Avner Cohen, author of "Israel and the Bomb," "The operational success proved to be profoundly and strategically deceptive," as Israel remained unaware of Iraq's new efforts throughout most of the 1980s. Internally, Saddam Hussein's nuclear ambitions went from a side project to an obsession. Ten years later, in 1991, he was closer to producing a nuclear bomb with uranium than he might ever have been pursuing a plutonium path through Osirak.

The raid had not, despite Cheney's praise, made "our job much easier" but had complicated an already difficult problem. Hussein dispersed and hardened his secret new facilities and protected them with air defenses. In the 1991 war, 43 days of coalition bombing failed to destroy the program, which ended only when U.N. disarmament teams methodically destroyed the equipment on the ground. The real lessons of the Osirak raid are worth remembering as optimistic plans for "solving" Iran now come across the vice president's desk.

Joseph Cirincione is the director for non-proliferation at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This piece first appeared in the Washington Post.

www.ProliferationNews.org.

Nuclear Fundamentalism and the Iran Story :

Years from now, when historians look back at agenda-building for a missile attack on Iran, they should closely examine a story that took up the USA's most coveted space for media spin -- the upper right corner of the New York Times front page -- on the first day of May 2005.
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0505-20.htm

U.S. In Caspian Region And Russia's Position:

Iran has offered support for a Russian initiative on the Caspian Sea states alone establishing a joint rapid reaction force in the region.
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20050504/39817504.html

Iran launches submarine production:

One submarine has apparently already been built and was shown on television on Tuesday, cruising at sea level.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/may2005-dai...5/world/w10.htm

http://snipurl.com/etkb

European Officials Warn Iran

By Dafna Linzer

European officials notified Iran for the first time yesterday that they will walk away from two years of talks and sign on to a Bush administration strategy for punitive measures against Tehran if it makes good on threats to resume nuclear work in coming days.

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...er=emailarticle

Blair Backs UN Intervention for Iran Guardian Unlimited

Iran Leaves Door Open For Nuclear Discussions

By Dafna Linzer

Confronted with significant international pressure, Iran signaled yesterday that it was prepared to give negotiations a try before making a final decision about resuming its nuclear program and responded positively to a European offer of a meeting aimed at reducing tensions, U.S., European and...

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...er=emailarticle

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/13/internat...059&partner=AOL

Britain Backs Penalties if Iran Restarts Nuclear Program

More claims and counter-claims about nuclear weapons development in both nations.
By Jim Bencivenga | csmonitor.co

http://www.csmonitor.com:/2005/0513/dailyUpdate.html

Russian Official Calls Iran’s Nuclear Development “Legitimate”:

Iran’s intention to restart sensitive nuclear activities earlier frozen under a deal with the European Union is “legitimate” and will not alter Russia’s nuclear cooperation with the Islamic state.
http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/05/12/rus...annuclear.shtml

http://snipurl.com/eve3

The Iranian Nuclear Issue in a Global Context:

In 2000 the U.S. government pledged to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty but has not done so yet and shows no signs that it will. It also promised to sign a verifiable accord to end the production of new fissile material for nuclear weapons but has failed to do so.
http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?emx=x&pid=2452

http://www.antiwar.com/engelhardt/?articleid=5952

The Iran Crisis in Global Context
Dilip Hiro and Tom Engelhardt

No Good Options On Iran?

By Jim Hoagland

Iran is the perfect storm acting as a nation: Oil, location and its advanced quest for nuclear weapons technology give Tehran the potential to drive the United Nations and the nonproliferation system that the world body oversees onto the rocks in the months ahead.

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...er=emailarticle

------------------------------------------------------


Iran Parliament: Nuclear Reprocessing Must Resume

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=D779FE:2F72C9D

Legislation says work on nuclear program must go forward in order to
guarantee Iran's future electricity supplies Iran's Parliament has
overwhelmingly approved a bill ordering a resumption of work on the
government's nuclear program, including uranium enrichment, which
could be used to produce nuclear warheads.

Sunday's legislation said work on the nuclear program must go forward
in order to guarantee Iran's future electricity supplies. The
conservative-dominated Iranian assembly approved the measure by a
margin of more than 10 to one (188 votes out of 205).

The new law pledges that Iran will act within the framework of the
Nuclear Proliferation Treaty in pursuing its program of power
generation and other peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Authorities in Tehran announced earlier today that nuclear work would
resume soon, pending a new round of talks with the European Union. If
that includes uranium enrichment, members of the European alliance say
will seek action by the U.N. Security Council.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050515/ap_on_...ea/iran_nuclear

Iran Lawmakers OK Peaceful Nuclear Power

Iranians Call for End to Nuke Negotiations:

Iranian hard-liners on Sunday called for an end to nuclear negotiations with European powers and said they opposed any deal imposing limitations on Iran's nuclear program.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050508/...ea/iran_nuclear

http://snipurl.com/eww7

AIPAC campaigns for Iran sanctions:

As Iran appears to move closer to resuming nuclear activities, support has been quietly building in Congress for new US sanctions, including penalties that could affect multinational companies and recipients of US foreign aid.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pag...d=1116037299455

http://snipurl.com/eww8

http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?Stor...15-063959-2535r

Iranian in US takes on Tehran

Iran: The Bush-Bolton Plan to Bomb Bushehr :

There is a timetable that makes it urgent for Bolton to be ready for action in June in order to cripple the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as part of the plan to bomb the Iranian nuclear-power plant at Bushehr.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8852.htm

http://snipurl.com/exqs

===

Not Just A Last Resort?: A Global Strike Plan, With a Nuclear Option:

Early last summer, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld approved a top secret "Interim Global Strike Alert Order" directing the military to assume and maintain readiness to attack hostile countries that are developing weapons of mass destruction, specifically Iran and North Korea.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8857.htm

http://snipurl.com/exrp

Europeans Agree to Meeting With Iran on Nuclear Program

By Dafna Linzer

The foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany agreed yesterday to meet with a senior Iranian official next week in an effort to pull Tehran back from threats to resume its nuclear program, diplomats representing all four countries said.

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...er=emailarticle

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GE18Ak01.html

Iran nuclear talks: It's time to shut up
Kaveh L Afrasiabi

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GE18Ak02.html

Ball in Europe's Court

Straw, Rice Back New European Nuclear Initiative With Iran

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=D86830:2F72C9D

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says he and his French and German
colleagues will meet Iranian officials next week in another effort to
convince Tehran to curb its nuclear activities British Foreign
Secretary Jack Straw says he and his French and German colleagues will
meet Iranian officials next week in another effort to convince Tehran
to curb its nuclear activities. Mr. Straw discussed the initiative in
talks late Tuesday with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Neither Mr. Straw nor Secretary Rice is characterizing next week's
meeting as a last-ditch effort. But they both say that if the
two-year-old European initiative fails, taking the matter to the U.N.
Security Council for possible sanctions on Tehran looms as an option.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw talks and U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice at a news conference Tuesday, May 17, 20005, in
WashingtonIn a joint press appearance after talks with Ms. Rice, Mr.
Straw said he, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, and their
German counterpart Joschka Fischer had agreed to meet an Iranian team
early next week, probably in Paris.

The so-called Euro-three sought the meeting after Tehran announced it
would resume work on refining uranium in violation of an agreement
last November to suspend enrichment activity while talks were
underway.

Mr. Straw said if the talks fail, the Europeans are ready to send the
matter back to the International Atomic Energy Agency's governing
board, which in turn could refer it to U.N. Security Council:

"The E-Three [European-three] has made clear, including in a report to
colleague foreign ministers, that we reserve the right to consider
reopening the matter before the IAEA Board or referring the matter to
the Security Council if we judged that is right, and the obligations
on both sides of the Paris agreement and other previous agreements
have not been met," said Mr. Straw. "The whole purpose of the
negotiations with Iran is to try to avoid that circumstance in the
context of ensuring that are objective guarantees about Iran's nuclear
intentions."

The Bush administration has been openly skeptical of Iran's repeated
assertions that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful, accusing it
of running a covert weapons program.

But in her remarks here, Ms. Rice reaffirmed U.S. support for the
European initiative, which offers Iran an array of economic incentives
for scrapping suspect nuclear activity. She said it is well-worth
pursuing in order, as she put it, to give Iran a chance to do what it
needs to do:

"We have the closest possible consultation and discussion about what
is going on in the relationship, in the negotiations," said Mr. Rice.
"I think it's fair to say that a few months ago, before the
President's visit to Europe, people believed that there was some
distance between the United States and the European Three on how to
deal with this problem. I believe we closed whatever perception of
difference there might have been and indeed we've come to a united
approach in dealing with Iran."

The Bush administration has offered its own incentives including an
end to a ban on the sale of airliner spare parts to Iran, and ending
opposition to Tehran's bid for World Trade Organization membership, to
support the European effort.

The Tehran government said earlier Tuesday it held out little of hope
reaching an agreement next week, saying the Europeans are hostage to
what it termed a hard-line U.S. position.