Russia ready for N-venture if Iran resumes U-freez

I'm avoiding recommeding one source over another, so feel free to pick and choose:

http://www.buzztracker.org/2006/02/07/Tehran.html

Source of following article: Pakistani Daily Times

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?p...7-2-2006_pg4_14

R E G I O N: Russia ready for N-venture if Iran resumes U-freeze

* French FM says int’l community not seeking confrontation with Iran

MOSCOW/PARIS: A top Russian diplomat said on Monday it would be possible to create a joint venture to enrich uranium for Iran in Russia only if Tehran resumed its moratorium on enrichment activities, the Interfax news agency reported.

“Our proposal on creating a joint enterprise remains in force,� Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak was quoted as saying. “Its fulfillment is possible if Iran returns to the moratorium as is set out in the resolution adopted by the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency.�

The IAEA’s 35-nation board of governors voted on Saturday to report Iran to the UN Security Council, which has the power to impose economic and political sanctions. Tehran responded by saying it would start uranium enrichment and bar surprise inspections of its facilities.

But Iran said it was willing to discuss Moscow’s proposal to shift large-scale enrichment operations to Russian territory in an effort to allay suspicions it is pursuing a weapons programme. Talks on the project were scheduled for Feb 16 in Moscow.

Uranium enriched to a low degree can be used for nuclear reactors, while highly enriched uranium is suitable for warheads. Iran insists it only wants to generate electricity, but the United States and some of its allies contend Tehran is trying to build a weapon.

The IAEA resolution requests the agency’s director general, Mohamed ElBaradei, to relay to the Security Council the steps Iran must take to dispel suspicions about its nuclear ambitions but the top UN body will take no action until an IAEA report is delivered in March.

These include that it return to freezing uranium enrichment; consider stopping construction of a heavy-water reactor that could be the source of plutonium; formally ratify the agreement allowing the IAEA greater inspecting authority; and give the agency more power in its investigation of Iran’s nuclear programme.

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said the international community is not seeking a confrontation with Iran over its nuclear programme, noting that talks with Tehran were still possible. Iran on Sunday, a day after being reported to the Security Council over suspicions it is building nuclear weapons.

Douste-Blazy urged Tehran to cooperate with the international community after it said it was ending snap UN checks of its nuclear sites and resuming uranium enrichment. “We tell them: There is still time to negotiate. But suspend sensitive nuclear activities,� he told France Inter radio.

“We must make people understand that the international community’s goal is not punitive, it is only political. We are not looking for any confrontation, to the contrary, it’s negotiations we are looking for,� he said.

“It is time (for Iran) to come back to reason, because if not, it’s obviously the Security Council and a possible escalation,� Douste-Blazy said. agencies

Our best bet would be to supoort Iran's nuclear capabilities...

Originally posted by Lonesome Cowboy Bill@Feb 7 2006, 02:01 AM

Our best bet would be to supoort Iran's nuclear capabilities...

Quoted post

or to make iran a giant parking lot.

get the pavemant trucks ready!

ALWAYS with the umbrella. If Iran's nuclear research was before all this only for energy, it won't be for long.

Source: http://www.buzztracker.org/2006/02/14/Moscow.html

"Iran nuclear situation escalating: Russia"

LONDON, February 11 (IranMania) - Three major Russian news agencies, RIA Novosti, ITAR-TASS and Interfax, have published a statement by a certain 'expert', who is closely involved in the negotiations on the Iranian problem, United Press International (UPI) reported.

To quote the expert, 'the situation around Iran is very bad and is going from bad to worse.' 'A number of Iranian leaders are deliberately escalating the tensions,' he said.

What is Moscow displeased about? What does it fear?

To start with, Moscow was disappointed by Iran's response to the decision of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors to transfer the Iranian file to the United Nations Security Council.

'IAEA has made a rational decision, and Moscow is frustrated with Tehran`s spontaneous response to this decision,' said the expert. He seems to be hinting that IAEA could have made a much less favorable decision, and that Iran should not pretend it is not aware of this.

Moscow is also disgruntled about Tehran's reaction to its offer to set up a joint venture with Russia on uranium enrichment. Moscow believes that under the circumstances Iran has only one option: to make a political decision on uranium enrichment on Russian territory.

The expert said that the negotiations on this issue were very difficult. He said that the Iranians 'did not want to listen to reason, and were resorting to tricks', that they were 'trying to exploit our pseudo-dependence on cooperation with them, that it is difficult to conduct negotiations using rational arguments pro and contra.'

Moscow is not happy about Tehran`s general political line, primarily about its deliberate efforts to step up tensions.

There are several reasons behind this line, but the main explanation is that the new Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and his entourage cannot give up their election slogans. 'They have sunk into this rhetoric and cannot get out of it, revealing lack of competence and experience, which

leads to the wrong positioning, and misinterpretation of Iran`s place in the world arena'.

The Russian official media have openly admitted Moscow`s attitude to Iran`s negotiating tactics for the first time. This suggests another question: is Moscow going to change its position on Iran? Or is it going to give in to the United States?

The expert did not think so. He pointed out that the only option is 'to show patience and continue dialog (with Iran) although the negotiators, including Russian representatives, find it very difficult.' 'Withdrawal from the talks would mean loss of control, in which case the situation will develop in line with Iranian logic,' he said, apparently describing the worst-case scenario.

He did not rule out a possibility of a military operation against Iran by the United States and its allies. 'The United States and its allies are bound to have a plan of a combined missile and bomb attack against Iran, but after all, the United States has a similar plan against any other country, including Russia, which it has kept since the Cold War times.' He said it was 'abundantly clear that the United States has started playing the Iranian card to distract attention from its other setbacks, if not failures. US leaders are inciting Congress and Israel. The situation is very bad.'

It goes without saying that simultaneous coverage of these statements by the three major Russian information agencies is not accidental. It is clear that the journalists have been invited to the Foreign Ministry, and perhaps even to the Kremlin.

It is also obvious that these statements are designed for export rather than domestic consumption. They were made to send Tehran a signal that there is a limit to Russia`s patience, and that its ability to protect Tehran against the referral of its nuclear file to the UN Security Council is not boundless, all the more so since Tehran is doing everything to ensure the file lands there, as it follows from its conduct during the IAEA emergency session and after it.

Originally posted by Soup@Feb 14 2006, 05:51 AM

ALWAYS with the umbrella. If Iran's nuclear research was before all this only for energy, it won't be for long.

 

Source: http://www.buzztracker.org/2006/02/14/Moscow.html

 

"Iran nuclear situation escalating: Russia"

 

LONDON, February 11 (IranMania) - Three major Russian news agencies, RIA Novosti, ITAR-TASS and Interfax, have published a statement by a certain 'expert', who is closely involved in the negotiations on the Iranian problem, United Press International (UPI) reported.

 

To quote the expert, 'the situation around Iran is very bad and is going from bad to worse.' 'A number of Iranian leaders are deliberately escalating the tensions,' he said.

 

What is Moscow displeased about? What does it fear?

 

To start with, Moscow was disappointed by Iran's response to the decision of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors to transfer the Iranian file to the United Nations Security Council.

 

'IAEA has made a rational decision, and Moscow is frustrated with Tehran`s spontaneous response to this decision,' said the expert. He seems to be hinting that IAEA could have made a much less favorable decision, and that Iran should not pretend it is not aware of this.

 

Moscow is also disgruntled about Tehran's reaction to its offer to set up a joint venture with Russia on uranium enrichment. Moscow believes that under the circumstances Iran has only one option: to make a political decision on uranium enrichment on Russian territory.

 

The expert said that the negotiations on this issue were very difficult. He said that the Iranians 'did not want to listen to reason, and were resorting to tricks', that they were 'trying to exploit our pseudo-dependence on cooperation with them, that it is difficult to conduct negotiations using rational arguments pro and contra.'

 

Moscow is not happy about Tehran`s general political line, primarily about its deliberate efforts to step up tensions.

 

There are several reasons behind this line, but the main explanation is that the new Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and his entourage cannot give up their election slogans. 'They have sunk into this rhetoric and cannot get out of it, revealing lack of competence and experience, which

 

leads to the wrong positioning, and misinterpretation of Iran`s place in the world arena'.

 

The Russian official media have openly admitted Moscow`s attitude to Iran`s negotiating tactics for the first time. This suggests another question: is Moscow going to change its position on Iran? Or is it going to give in to the United States?

 

The expert did not think so. He pointed out that the only option is 'to show patience and continue dialog (with Iran) although the negotiators, including Russian representatives, find it very difficult.' 'Withdrawal from the talks would mean loss of control, in which case the situation will develop in line with Iranian logic,' he said, apparently describing the worst-case scenario.

 

He did not rule out a possibility of a military operation against Iran by the United States and its allies. 'The United States and its allies are bound to have a plan of a combined missile and bomb attack against Iran, but after all, the United States has a similar plan against any other country, including Russia, which it has kept since the Cold War times.' He said it was 'abundantly clear that the United States has started playing the Iranian card to distract attention from its other setbacks, if not failures. US leaders are inciting Congress and Israel. The situation is very bad.'

 

It goes without saying that simultaneous coverage of these statements by the three major Russian information agencies is not accidental. It is clear that the journalists have been invited to the Foreign Ministry, and perhaps even to the Kremlin.

 

It is also obvious that these statements are designed for export rather than domestic consumption. They were made to send Tehran a signal that there is a limit to Russia`s patience, and that its ability to protect Tehran against the referral of its nuclear file to the UN Security Council is not boundless, all the more so since Tehran is doing everything to ensure the file lands there, as it follows from its conduct during the IAEA emergency session and after it.

Quoted post

right on the money

Congrats Iran, you're next... (I'm just waiting to watch the 1.6 billion Persians in LA flip the fuck out...

Russian media hail Iran nuke deal 'sensation'

Russian newspapers hailed a preliminary deal between Tehran and Moscow to enrich uranium in Russia as a way of defusing tensions over Tehran's nuclear activities but experts remained sceptical of any real breakthrough, AFP reported.

Archived Picture - On Sunday, Russian atomic energy chief Sergei Kiriyenko and Iranian Vice President Gholamreza Aghazadeh announced at a joint press conference in Iran that a preliminary agreement had been reached on a plan aimed at easing fears that Iran could acquire nuclear weapons.

LONDON, February 28 (IranMania) - Russian newspapers hailed a preliminary deal between Tehran and Moscow to enrich uranium in Russia as a way of defusing tensions over Tehran's nuclear activities but experts remained sceptical of any real breakthrough, AFP reported.

"The second round of Russian-Iranian negotiations on the creation of a joint venture to enrich uranium on Russian soil unexpectedly brought a sensational result," the official Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily said.

On Sunday, Russian atomic energy chief Sergei Kiriyenko and Iranian Vice President Gholamreza Aghazadeh announced at a joint press conference in Iran that a preliminary agreement had been reached on a plan aimed at easing fears that Iran could acquire nuclear weapons.

Negotiations are scheduled to continue in Moscow in the coming days as the clock runs down on a March 6 deadline, when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is to meet in Vienna to decide whether or not to refer Iran to the UN Security Council to face possible sanctions.

"It's a complex issue, the negotiations are difficult," Kiriyenko was quoted by ITAR-TASS news agency as saying on Monday after returning to Moscow.

"There is little time left for further agreements but the time is there," Kiriyenko said.

Russia has offered to set up a joint venture with Iran to enrich the Islamic republic's uranium on Russian territory as a guarantee that the fuel be used for a peaceful nuclear energy programme and not to build a nuclear bomb.

"We have reached an agreement in principle for the creation of a joint company," Aghazadeh, who is also head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, said on Sunday.

The Izvestia daily greeted the announcement as "a sensation," while Vremya Novostei ran a front-page story under the headline "Tehran accepted Moscow's offer."

"The question of the creation of a joint venture has been accepted by the Iranians and is moving in principle towards a conclusion," Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexei Sazonov was quoted by Vremya Novostei as saying, AFP noted.

But Russian experts interviewed by AFP on Sunday remained sceptical, saying Iran's announcement was a step in the right direction but not a guarantee that the international crisis would end any time soon.

"If Iran really wanted to make concessions, it would have announced a return to the moratorium on the enrichment of uranium and on nuclear research," said Vladimir Yevseyev, an analyst from the Moscow Carnegie Centre, adding that Iran was engaging in a "diplomatic game" to play for time.

"Unfortunately, the escalation of the conflict will continue," Yevseyev said.

Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of the Russia in Global Affairs journal agreed.

"Iran's aim is to prolong the process of negotiations," Lukyanov said.

"Towards March 6, there will be a declaration that there has been progress and Russia will try to ensure that the IAEA does not take measures against Iran but after that it's not excluded that Iran begins the game again," he added.

But Anton Khlopkov, an analyst from the PIR political studies institute in Moscow said that "progress is clear, especially after the last few weeks, when Iran's position has remained extremely rigid."

Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - ©2005 IranMania.com

Related Pictures (why? Why not?)

Russian newspapers hailed a preliminary deal between Tehran and Moscow to enrich uranium in Russia as a way of defusing tensions over Tehran's nuclear activities but experts remained sceptical of any real breakthrough, AFP reported.

Archived Picture - On Sunday, Russian atomic energy chief Sergei Kiriyenko and Iranian Vice President Gholamreza Aghazadeh announced at a joint press conference in Iran that a preliminary agreement had been reached on a plan aimed at easing fears that Iran could acquire nuclear weapons.

Source

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/...rrent%20Affairs

Russias relationship with Iran is like ours with Pakistan, I think both are retarded but once again we lose credibility because we sell ours loyalties in the short term...

Originally posted by swedish erotica+Feb 8 2006, 11:52 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (swedish erotica - Feb 8 2006, 11:52 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-Lonesome Cowboy Bill@Feb 7 2006, 02:01 AM

Our best bet would be to supoort Iran's nuclear capabilities...

Quoted post

or to make iran a giant parking lot.

[/b]

thats been my idea all along!