"Trump Admin Should Keep Close Eye on Potential Iran-North Korea Nuclear Cooperation": Nuclear Proliferation Expert.

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"Trump Admin Should Keep Close Eye on Potential Iran-North Korea Nuclear Cooperation": Nuclear Proliferation Expert. (Algemeiner).

Paying attention to any potential nuclear cooperation between Iran and North Korea should be a priority for the Trump administration, a proliferation expert told The Algemeiner on Thursday.

“I think the main thing is to try to discover it,” David Albright — head of the Institute for Science and International Security think tank — said. “We know it [cooperation] happens in the missile and conventional weapons areas. As for the nuclear area, we look at it as an open question. We haven’t seen enough evidence yet to make an actual accusation, we just don’t know. But I think there is a real risk that Iran and North Korea could cooperate on nuclear matters. It requires a lot of attention from our intelligence services.”

“If it turns out such cooperation does exist, an argument could be made that it’s a violation of the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action],” Albright went on to say. “Whether it in fact is or not, lawyers would have to decide. It would depend on the exact type of cooperation. But the bottom line is you have to develop more resources to try to figure if it’s going on. And a revelation that it is going on would be quite damaging to Iran.”

There are two types of know-how Iran and North Korea could share, Albright said. The first, he noted is “more traditional information about building nuclear weapons and testing nuclear weapons, which North Korea certainly has plenty of to give to Iran.” And the second is “reentry vehicle technology for a nuclear warhead.”

“Iran is freer to conduct reentry vehicle tests than North Korea,” Albright explained. “So both could benefit. It would look like missile cooperation, which is more tolerated, but in fact it could end up being a way to help both countries be able to mount a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile.”

In a recently published paper, Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies analysts Refael Ofek and Dany Shoham claimed that Iran was “steadily making progress towards a nuclear weapon” with help from North Korea.

The Pyongyang regime, they wrote, was “ready and able” to give the Islamic Republic a “clandestine means of circumventing” the July 2015 nuclear deal it agreed to with six world powers. Read the full story here.
Related: 

'Axes of Nuclear evil' - Iran Tested a Ballistic Missile With North Korean Origins: Pentagon. 

North Korea has effective means of delivering nuclear weapons, their missile program is "close to the one developed in Iran" Russian expert.

Video - Iranian Def Minister: We Need to Surprise the Enemy, America, and Hit It Where It Hurts the Most

Video - Iranian Def Minister: We Need to Surprise the Enemy, America, and Hit It Where It Hurts the Most. Memri. Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan recently said that the main threat to Iran was from America and its ally, Israel, and that in order to gain the upper hand in battle Iran should operate in a situation of asymmetric warfare, and have sufficient power to surprise the enemy in order to "hit it where it hurts the most." He was speaking on IRINN TV on February 7.

Hossein Dehghan: Today, the main threat is from the arrogant regime, America, along with the Zionists and so on. When we consider how to fight such a threat, we need to find factors that will give us the upper hand in battle. There will be a situation of asymmetric warfare. We have several plans to develop [military] products and technology, to improve existing products, and to develop our industrial infrastructures. We must operate in such a way that strategically, we will not be surprised on the day [of battle], for example, by finding ourselves in a scenario that we did not think of, or by suffering damage that we did not anticipate. In addition, we need to have sufficient power to surprise the enemy. In other words, we need to hit the enemy where it hurts the most.

Video - Flashback: Foundation for Defense of Democracies Vice Pres Jonathan Schanzer on a White House plan that would kill the peace process.

Here's my @WSJ interview on Obama's 6 menu options on Israel heading into lame duck. Wish I'd been wrong: https://t.co/vuWLrOaLlb

— Jonathan Schanzer (@JSchanzer) December 26, 2016

He nailed it perfectly early 2009.

Obama 'Admin' Gives Airbus Green Light to Sell 106 Planes to Iran.

Obama 'Admin' Gives Airbus Green Light to Sell 106 Planes to Iran. (IFP).

The US Office of Foreign Assets Control, an arm of the Treasury Department, granted the license to Airbus Group SE on Tuesday to deliver more than $20 billion in jets to Iran Air in the coming years, Reuters reported.

Airbus is based in France but it must have the US authorization to export planes to Iran because at least 10 percent of the aircraft’s parts are made in the United States.

The Treasury’s approval comes in the last months of the US President Barack Obama’s administration after anti-Iran sanctions were lifted as part of a landmark nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries last year.

In January, Iran signed a major contract with European aviation giant, Airbus, worth about $27 billion to buy 118 planes within few months. The contract was signed during the visit to France by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani.

However, critics of plane sales to Iran have sought to block the transaction. The US House of Representatives passed a bill on November 17 that would bar the sale of commercial aircraft to Iran, which would also affect the US aerospace heavyweight, Boeing. The bill must now clear the Senate.

The White House announced that President Obama would veto the bill, saying it would undermine the international nuclear agreement.

The White House said US allies would view the legislation as a violation of the JCPOA. Hmmm........Merry Christmas.

Going once, twice....Sold! How Much for That Nobel Prize in the Window?

Going once, twice....Sold! How Much for That Nobel Prize in the Window? (NDTV).

Swedish scientist and philanthropist Alfred Nobel created these Nobel Prizes. Oslo: No need to make peace in the Middle East, resolve one of science's great mysteries or pen a masterpiece: the easiest way to get yourself a Nobel prize may be to buy one.

In the 114 years since the Nobel prizes were first handed out, they have been awarded 889 times for pioneering work in the fields of peace, literature, medicine, physics, chemistry and, since 1969, economics.

But over the years, following reversals of fortune and splitting of inheritances, at least a dozen Nobel gold medals and diplomas have ended up on the auction block.

Yes, it's the easy way out, as buyers don't have to have "conferred the greatest benefit on mankind", as stipulated by Swedish scientist and philanthropist Alfred Nobel in his 1895 testament when he created the prizes.

But as any mediator will tell you, peace comes at a price. And surprisingly, it is not always as high as one would think for a Nobel Peace Prize.

The cheapest Nobel ever sold at auction is that of France's Aristide Briand, honoured in 1926 for his role in France and Germany's shortlived post-war reconciliation.

His prize went for a steal in 2008 at just 12,200 euros ($13,650 at today's rate). That of Britain's William Randal Cremer, who won in 1903, did only slightly better, going under the hammer for $17,000 in 1985.

Auction prices have skyrocketed since, prompting a growing number of laureates or their families to sell their prestigious possessions.

Since early 2014, at least eight Nobel medals have gone up for auction.

"There is a heightened interest in the discoveries and developments of the 20th century and the Nobel prize really symbolises the biggest achievements of the century whether they are in science, economics or whether they're in peace," explains Francis Wahlgren, the head of Christie's international book and manuscripts department.

"We now have to consider them among higher value things that we handle," he adds.

Recently several Nobel prizes for physics, chemistry and economics have sold for between $300,000 and $400,000.

Even more lucrative was the 1909 Peace Prize awarded to Belgium's Auguste Beernaert, which sold for $661,000, and the 1936 Peace Prize to Carlos Saavedra Lamas of Argentina -- found in a pawn shop years earlier -- which went for a staggering $1.16 million.

The peace medals are made of 150 grams (5.3 ounces) of 18 carat gold -- up until 1979 it was 23 carats -- and feature the profile of Alfred Nobel on one side and three naked men forming a circle on the other.

The gold itself is worth, at today's rates, around $5,500. Hmmmm......Anyone interested for Obama's medal? He sold everything else........including his Soul. read the full story here.

Out with the 'Moderate culture' - Khamenei Revives Feared Intelligence Unit Of Iran's IRGC.

Out with the 'Moderate culture' - Supreme Leader Khamenei Revives Feared Intelligence Unit Of Iran's IRGC.(rferl).

When reports emerged earlier this month that prominent Iranian Internet entrepreneur Arash Zad had been arrested in August at Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport, it was unknown who apprehended him, or why.

But suspicion has since fallen on the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' (IRGC) intelligence arm, whose increased activities could indicate that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejuvenated the much-feared unit so he can gain greater control over the country.

The unit's resurgence appears to coincide with Hassan Rohani's ascension to the presidency in the summer of 2013, after which the relative moderate set about trying to live up to his campaign promises to give Iranians more freedoms and move away from his predecessor's heavy handed approach to dissent.

That, observers say, potentially puts Rohani at odds with Khamenei, who as supreme leader has ultimate say in the Islamic republic. The IRGC's intelligence unit, which falls under the supreme leader's direct authority, could serve as a useful tool if Khamenei cannot fully trust the Intelligence Ministry to do as he wishes.

"The intelligence branch of the IRGC must monitor all issues at all times and identify threats," Khamenei told IRGC commanders on September 16, according to a text of his speech posted on Khamenei.ir.

Afshari, who was arrested and tortured by the IRGC's intelligence unit under President Khatami, is not surprised to see its revival as a parallel intelligence body.

"Under Rohani the Intelligence Ministry has been trying to distance itself from methods used under [former hard-line President Mahmud] Ahmadinejad," Afshari notes.

"Khamenei is very clearly stressing the need for increased activities by IRGC's intelligence unit. I think [it means] that the unit will have a freer hand," said Ramezanpour. Hmmmm.....Rouhani served his purpose, now the leader himself will take charge again.Read the full story here.

Tehran - Obama's BFF Iran holds Sacred Defense Parade 2015 showing off their Ballistic missiles assortment.

Tehran - Obama's BFF Iran holds Sacred Defense Parade 2015 showing off their missiles assortment. (Fars).

The Iranian Armed Forces publicly displayed 12 long-range ballistic missiles for the first time after Tehran and the world powers reached a nuclear agreement and the UN Security Council issued a non-binding resolution which calls for restrictions on Iran's missile program.

The nationwide parades by various units of the Islamic Republic Army, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Law Enforcement Police and Basij (volunteer) forces were staged in Tehran and other cities across the country on Tuesday morning.

The parades mark the start of the Sacred Defense Week, commemorating Iranians' sacrifices during the 8 years of the Iraqi imposed war on Iran in 1980s.

Different units of Iran's military forces marched in uniform before top Army and IRGC commanders and President Hassan Rouhani in a show of military might and defensive power.

Also the latest military and defense achievements made by Iranian experts were put on display at the parades.

During the parades, the Iranian Armed Forces displayed 12 long-range ballistic missiles, including 4 Qadr F missiles with a range of 1,950km, Qadr H missiles with a range of 1,650km and 4 Sejjil missiles with a range of 2,000km.

Also, 4 Khalij-e Fars anti-ship ballistic missiles and 4 Hormoz anti-ship and radar-evading missiles with a range of 300km were among other missiles displayed in today's parades.

The public display of Iran's long-range ballistic missiles is seen as a defiance of the western states' demand and resolution 2231 which calls for restrictions on Iran's missile program.

The resolution was issued after Iran and the world powers reached a nuclear agreement on July 14.

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan underlined in August that the country's defensive and missile capabilities would growingly increase regardless of any foreign pressures and resolutions.

"No element can weaken our resolve in the defensive field," Dehqan said in an interview with state TV.

"We will design and produce any missiles that we want proportionate to threats and we will conduct drills and tests in due time," he added.

Dehqan stressed that Iran would further boost the range of its missiles appropriate to possible threats.

He referred to the UN Security Council 2231 resolution, and said Tehran didn’t and would not have any plans to manufacture missiles with the capability of carrying nuclear weapons but it will bolster its defensive capabilities similar to the past.

Iran successfully tested second generation of Sejjil missiles and brought it into mass production in 2013.

Sejjil missiles are considered as the third generation of Iran-made long-range missiles.

Also, Iran's 2000km-range, liquid-fuel, Qadr F ballistic missile can reach territories as far as Israel.

Iran's surface-to-surface Sejjil missile, the long-range Shahab-3 ballistic missile which has a range of up to 2,000 km, and Zelzal and Fateh missiles have all been developed by the Aerospace Organization of the Defense Industries.

This is while the solid-fuel, two-stage Sejjil missile with two engines, is capable of reaching a very high altitude and therefore has a longer range than that of the Shahab 3 model. Hmmmm.....Sure looks like a 'peaceful and moderate' bunch to me.

Israel - Maagar Poll(Maariv):10% Like Obama, 79% would like to see Pollard come off plane with Obama, 11% Pollard without Obama .

Israel - Maagar Poll(Maariv):10% Like Obama, 79% would like to see Pollard come off plane with Obama, 11% Pollard without Obama .(IMRA).Dr. Aaron Lerner.

The survey was conducted by Maagar - Interdisciplinary Research and Consulting Institute Ltd., managed by Professor Yitzhak Katz. It was commissioned by Maariv-Makor Rishon and published on 15 March.

Telephone survey of representative sample of adult Israelis (including Arabs). The survey was carried out 14 March 2013

How would you term Obama's relationship with Israel?

Favorable 33% 

Threatening 38% 

Indifferent 14% 

Other 15%

How do you feel about the US president?

Like 10%

Don't like but respect 32%

Indifferent 9%

Don't respect but don't hate 19%

Hate 17%

Other 13%

Do you support gestures to the Palestinians in the wake of the presidential visit?

Support 27% 

Oppose 51% 

Other 22%

Who would you like to see come off a plane next week?

Only Obama 10% 

Only Pollard 11% 

Both 79% (Among those with an opinion)