Obama 'admin' considers new, softened nuclear offer to Iran.

Obama 'admin' considers new, softened nuclear offer to Iran. (ToI).

The US is considering softening present demands that Iran gut its uranium enrichment program in favor of a new proposal that would allow Tehran to keep nearly half of the project intact while placing other constraints on its possible use as a path to nuclear weapons, diplomats told The Associated Press.

The tentative new US offer attempts to meet the Iranians close to half way on numbers, said two diplomats who demanded anonymity because their information is confidential. They said it envisages letting Iran keep up to 4,500 centrifuges but would reduce the stock of uranium gas fed into the machines to the point where it would take more than a year of enriching to create enough material for a nuclear warhead.

That, they said, would give the international community enough lead time to react to any such attempt.

The diplomats emphasized that the proposal is only one of several being discussed by the six powers — the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany — and has not yet been formally submitted to the Iranians.

Other ideas also include letting Iran have more than 1,500 machines but removing or destroying much of the infrastructure needed to make them run — wiring, pipes used to feed uranium gas and other auxiliary equipment.

Both ideas would allow the Iranians to claim that they did not compromise on vows that they would never emasculate their enrichment capabilities, while keeping intact American demands that the program be downgraded to a point where it could not be quickly turned to making bombs.

The fates of a reactor under construction near the city of Arak and of an underground enrichment facility at Fordo are also contentious issues. 

The US and its Western allies want the reactor converted to reduce to a minimum its production of plutonium, an alternate pathway to nuclear arms. And they insist that the Fordo plant be shuttered or used for something else than enrichment because it is fortified and thought to be impervious to air attacks. Read the full story here.

Israeli Intell Min Says Iran Testing Nuclear Weapons, Obama Stresses Diplomacy

Israel Says Iran Testing Nuclear Weapons, Obama Stresses Diplomacy. (JNS).

Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said that Iran has used its Parchin military base for secret testing of nuclear weapons technology.

Citing “highly reliable information,” Steinitz said, “these kinds of tests can have no ‘dual use’ explanation, since the only possible purpose of such internal neutron sources is to ignite the nuclear chain reaction in nuclear weapons,” the Jerusalem Post reported.

In November 2013, the U.S. and the other P5+1 powers reached a six-month interim deal with Iran on its nuclear program. In July, those countries and Iran agreed to extend the Iran nuclear talks to Nov. 24, 2014.

On Thursday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is scheduled to address the U.N. General Assembly. U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the assembly on Wednesday, saying that America “is pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue, as part of our commitment to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and pursue the peace and security of a world without them.”

“This can only happen if Iran takes this historic opportunity. My message to Iran’s leaders and people is simple: do not let this opportunity pass. We can reach a solution that meets your energy needs while assuring the world that your program is peaceful,” Obama said.

Obama added that America “will not base our entire foreign policy on reacting to terrorism,” but on “a focused campaign against al-Qaeda and its associated forces.”

Pres Obama All But Ignores Iran in United Nations Speech

Pres Obama All But Ignores Iran in United Nations Speech.(Forward).

President Obama devoted the bulk of his U.N. speech to the fight violent Islamic extremism and all but ignored the subject of Iran’s nuclear program.

Tehran’s nuclear pursuits were a major focus of Obama’s address last year at the U.N. General Assembly, but at this year’s General Assembly, Iran got just a couple of lines in Obama’s remarks.

“We can reach a solution that meets your energy needs while assuring the world that your program is peaceful,” Obama said, calling on the Islamic Republic to demonstrate that its program is for civilian purposes, not weapons.

“Obama devoted only 78 words at #UNGA to greatest threat to world peace, the #Iran nuclear threat; 1,540 words to #ISIS,” the American Jewish Committee’s Global Jewish Advocacy project noted in a tweet.

Near the speech’s conclusion, Obama also devoted a few lines to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Leadership will be necessary to address the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis,” he said. “As bleak as the landscape appears, America will not give up on the pursuit of peace.”

The current turmoil in the Middle East should disabuse anyone of the mistaken notion that the Arab-Israeli conflict is somehow the root of all Middle East conflict, Obama said, noting that the turmoil has made too many Israelis ready to abandon the hard work of peace – something Israelis should reflect on, he said.

“The status quo in the West Bank and Gaza is not sustainable,” Obama said. “We cannot afford to turn away from this effort, not when rockets are fired at innocent Israelis or when the lives of so many Palestinian children are taken from us in Gaza.”

He said, “Israelis, Palestinians, the region and the world will be more just and safe with two states living side by side in peace and security.”

Related:  New hope on Iran? Accept that Twelvers Serious?

Iranian MPs Reject US Nuclear Proposal decoupling the centrifuges.

Iranian MPs Reject US Nuclear Proposal decoupling the centrifuges. (IMRA).

Iranian MPs Reject US Nuclear Proposal -  http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13930631001284

TEHRAN (FNA)- Several members of the Iranian parliament rejected a proposal reportedly raised by the US negotiators during the nuclear talks underway in New York for the disconnection of Iran's centrifuge machines instead of dismantling them.

"During the negotiations, specially after the Geneva agreement, the Americans tried to push the negotiations towards a deadlock through presenting deviatory proposals," Rapporteur of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Seyed Hossein Naqavi Hosseini told FNA on Monday, describing the latest offer as another push by Washington to dismantle the core of Iran's civilian nuclear capability.

He warned that the US wants to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights.

Also, Vice-Chairman of the Commission Mansour Haqiqatpour underlined that the US proposal for decoupling the centrifuges would make Iran's nuclear industry nothing more than a decor.

He called the proposal as "a ridiculous plan".

Another member of the Commission, Ebrahim Aqamohammadi, said removing the piping connecting the centrifuges means shutting down uranium enrichment in Iran.

"Our understanding is that when we divert the industry and technology from its circuit and prevent the natural trend of its work, it will have no efficiency," he added.

Unnamed Diplomats told The Associated Press on Saturday that a new US proposal on the table focuses on removing piping connecting the centrifuges. That would allow the US leeway on modifying demands that Iran cut the number of centrifuge machines from 19,000 to no more than 1,500.

The 7th round of talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) started in New York on Friday.

The two sides held six rounds of negotiations in Vienna to reach a comprehensive deal after they inked an interim agreement in Geneva on November 24.

The Geneva agreement took effect on January 20 and expired six months later on July 20. In July, Tehran and the six countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 after they failed to reach an agreement on a number of key issues.

Video - Iran TV Airs "Exclusive" Footage of IAEA Inspection Equipment at Natanz Facility

'No need to payoff Iran to fight ISIS' Israeli PM Netanyahu.

'No need to payoff Iran to fight ISIS' Israeli PM Netanyahu.(IMRA)

Excerpt from PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center (Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Following is an excerpt from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks this evening (Sunday, 21 September 2014), at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem:

"I know for a certainty what Menachem Begin would say about something I have been hearing more and more about in recent days from esteemed commentators in the West.

They are saying that the major powers need to go easy on Iran's nuclear program so that Iran will fight ISIS.

They are fighting ISIS for their own interests. They are fighting over who will be the ruler of the Islamist world that they want to set over the entire world. It is as if Assad would say 'Go easy on my chemical weapons. Give me back my chemical weapons so that I can fight ISIS.' Both are absurd.

Menachem Begin would reject this outright and so do I. Iran must not be allowed to become a nuclear threshold state."

IRAN : Invalidity of IAEA information delays full implement of nuclear agreement.

IRAN : Invalidity of IAEA information delays full implement of nuclear agreement. (Taz).

Iran’s resident representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Reza Najafi says that two practical measures within the framework for Iran-IAEA cooperation were not completed due to invalidity of the agency’s information.

“In last several months, based on Framework for Cooperation, the Islamic Republic has voluntarily implemented 18 practical measures, two of which have not completed yet due to their complexity, invalidity of Agency’s information or better to say invalidity of information given to the Agency and lack of substantiated evidences at the disposal of the agency,” Najafi said while addressing for IAEA’s board of governors on Sept. 18, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported.

Iran did not address two key issues by late August as agreed with the IAEA: alleged experiments on exploding bridge wires (EBWs) that could be used for an atomic device and studies related to calculating nuclear explosive yields.

While commenting about concerns over Iran’s EBWs issue Najafi argued that “Iran by providing the necessary information and substantiated documents to the agency proved that EBWs have been developed for the civilian applications in oil and gas industry.”

In a November 2011 report, the agency said based on the "credible" information, Tehran might carry out nuclear weapon research program under cover of its civilian nuclear plan.

IAEA identified 12 areas of outstanding issues related to the alleged nuclear bomb research, while Iran has repeatedly said the information was forged and provided by western spy agencies, dismissing the allegation.

Iran requested the agency to disclose the source of the information, but IAEA refused to do so.

Under the landmark deal agreed between Iran and IAEA last November, Tehran would cooperate with the agency to resolve all the past and present issues of Iranian atomic plan including the PMD(possible military dimensions).

Iran and IAEA agreed to implement five practical measures including the cooperation of resolving two points of Iran's nuclear program related to the alleged nuclear weapon plan, so called possible military dimensions (PMD) to Iran's nuclear plan by deadline Aug. 25 in order to provide greater transparency of Tehran's nuclear program.

However, IAEA said Iran missed the deadline in implementing three measures and two measures related to PMD issues have yet to be implemented so far.

Related: 

IAEA: Iran moving to comply with extended nuclear deal with powers

Iran to start construction of 2 new nuclear power plants by year-end

Iran to start construction of 2 new nuclear power plants by year-end.(Taz).

Iran plans to start construction of two new nuclear power plants by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21).

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran's Deputy Director for International Affairs Behrouz Kamalvandi said that the final negotiations are underway with the Russians to build the plants, Iran's Tabnak News Website reported on Sept. 15.

"The two power plants will most probably be constructed near the Bushehr nuclear power plant," he said, adding that the two plants will have the capacity to produce 1,000 megawatt of electricity.
"The construction plan will be complete in five to seven years," Kamalvand added.
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Sept. 10, "We have been informed that Iran plans to construct 20 new nuclear power plants."

The Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said in June that Iran has reached an agreement with Russia to construct two more nuclear power plants. “The two sides are negotiating over the six other planned plants,” he explained.

Tehran is reportedly negotiating with Moscow over construction of eight nuclear reactors.
Iran's ISNA News Agency on May 25 quoted an unnamed official as saying that Iran and Russia has agreed over a nuclear protocol for construction of new nuclear reactors.

If the two sides sign the agreement, Iran will officially be able to construct the new reactors, the source said and went on to note that the two countries have already agreed over construction of two power reactors.

Salehi said on April 13 that the country has a contract with Russia which obligates Moscow to build four other nuclear power plants in the country. Based on a contract which was signed in 1992, Russia is supposed to construct the power plants at the request of Tehran.

He also said that Iran will start construction of its second nuclear plant this year.
"Two years from now we will start the construction operation of the third plant,” he explained, adding that the country will continue building new ones every two years.

"We plan to use local experts in construction of the plants as much as possible," Salehi said,
"Before the Islamic revolution [in 1979] the Americans said that Iran needs to annually produce 20,000 megawatt hours of nuclear electricity. Now we want to reach the goal."

'Moderate' Iranian president to address UN General Assembly.

'Moderate' Iranian president to address UN General Assembly.(Taz).

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani will fly to New York on September 22 to take part in session of UN General Assembly, ISNA reported.

According to the information, the president will address the General Assembly.

On September 29 he will fly to Astrakhan in order to take part in summit of heads of the Caspian littoral states.

Astrakhan will hold a five-sided Russia-Azerbaijan-Iran-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan Business Forum Sept. 29

Coastal states (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Iran) signed the framework convention for the protection of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea in November 2003.
In July 1998, Russia and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement on the delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in order to implement sovereign rights for subsoil use, and the protocol to this agreement was signed May 2002. Agreements on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan and the protocol were signed November 29, 2001 and February 27, 2003 respectively.
Also, an agreement on the delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea was signed by Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia May 14, 2003.

Iranian Spokesman Strongly Rejects 3-Month Deadline Mentioned in IAEA Report on Iran.

Iranian Spokesman Strongly Rejects 3-Month Deadline Mentioned in IAEA Report on Iran.(Fars).


Spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi blasted the International Atomic Energy Agency's Friday report for carrying some misinformation in certain parts, saying that Tehran had not accepted to fulfill all the five steps mentioned in the third phase of the joint action plan by August 25.

"We didn’t have any agreement on the August 25 date. In fact, we had undertaken to do certain things in a three-month period only with regard to the first step, although we had also stated repeatedly that we would strive to take the measures sooner than the deadline if possible," Kamalvandi said in an interview with the Islamic republic news agency's Persian service on Saturday.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran had earlier informed the IAEA that given the complicated nature of the discussed issues, the complete implementation of the 5 recently-agreed actions would not be practical by August 25 and therefore, that's why the Agency has not voiced concern about this issue (the implementation of other steps) in its report as it had already been informed," he added.

He said Iran had opposed setting deadlines for implementing the action plan since the very beginning, saying that the move could trouble the trend of cooperation. "Hence, we didn’t have any undertakings for meeting the three-month deadline; we had rather stated that we would clarify the issues as soon as possible."

The spokesman also slammed the IAEA for delaying its report and assessment over Tehran's explanations about its use of Exploding Bridge Wire (EBW) detonators.

"The Agency has presented its assessment over the EBW detonators late since this report was expected to be released in May," Kamalvandi said.

The spokesman underlined that Iran has provided the IAEA with information about the EBW detonators and their application in the oil and gas industries, and said "the civil use of such detonators has been endorsed in the IAEA's recent report as well".

"Given this report, the issue with the EBW detonators has, thus, come to its end from our view point," Kamalvandi said.

The IAEA report said Iran has implemented one of the five practical measures that it agreed with the Agency in May 2014 in the third step of the Framework for Cooperation by the agreed deadline of 25 August 2014; implemented two of the five measures after the deadline; and began discussions with the Agency on the other two practical measures.

The report said the IAEA continues its work of monitoring and verification according to Joint Plan of Action (JPA) and confirmed that there has been no diversion in Iran's nuclear activities.

According to the IAEA report, Iran has provided additional clarification about its work on so-called exploding bridge wire detonators.

The IAEA report also said that Iran is continuing to scrupulously observe the interim nuclear agreement it reached last year with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (G5+1). The interim agreement was extended in July to Nov. 24. Hmmm....By the way...did i mention Fatwas can ce recalled and changed according to new conditions?

Just-published IAEA report — Iran blew off nuke probe — instead destroyed evidence

Just-published IAEA report — Iran blew off nuke probe — instead destroyed evidence, and “further undermined the Agency’s ability to conduct effective verification”. (TIP). (TundraTabloids).

The IAEA officially published its latest report today. The upshot – that the agency’s nuke probe has completely stalled because of Iranian noncooperation – was already leaked earlier this week. But I wanted to make sure you had a link to the full report because the really interesting stuff is buried in Section H, which is the section on “possible military dimensions” (PMDs) and verification: http://www.isis-online.org/uploads/isis-reports/documents/gov-2014-43.pdf

Remember you can slice Iran’s obligations into 4 overarching issues: uranium, plutonium, ballistic missiles, and PMDs. The first 3 issues are fairly straightforward – Iran is required by half a dozen UNSC resolutions to stop doing those things – but the PMD debate is often misreported. It’s usually framed as having the Iranians come clean previous illicit work, as if the goal was to shame them about lying in the past. But that’s not it.

The actual goal – and now I’m quoting former IAEA deputy director Olli Heinonen – is to “understand the scope of the program… and set[] the baseline for the successful monitoring.” PMDs are the prerequisite to a successful verification scheme, which means they hang over everything else. You can’t verify the Iranians have stopped their activities unless you know what those activities are. It doesn’t do any good to have the Iranians stop their declared uranium/plutonium/ballistic missiles work if the IAEA can’t ensure there are no undeclared activities.

So when the Iranians stonewall on PMDs, they’re not just stonewalling on one fourth of their obligations or whatever. They’re making it impossible to have meaningful agreement on literally everything else.

The PMD section starts on pg 12. Some highlights:

* The Iranians are continuing to destroy and pave over Parchin. I haven’t seen this reported out much, and I haven’t seen it contextualized as a verification issue at all. Which is weird because the IAEA language doesn’t leave much room for ambiguity: “These activities are likely to have further undermined the Agency’s ability to conduct effective verification.”

Since the Director General’s previous report, at a particular location at the Parchin site, the Agency has observed through satellite imagery ongoing construction activity that appears to show the removal/replacement or refurbishment of the site’s two main buildings’ external wall structures. One of these buildings60 has also had a section of its roof removed and replaced. Observations of deposits of material and/or debris, and equipment suggest that construction activity has expanded to two other site buildings. These activities are likely to have further undermined the Agency’s ability to conduct effective verification.61 It remains important for Iran to provide answers to the Agency’s questions62 and access to the particular location in question.63

* “The Agency remains concerned about the possible existence in Iran of undisclosed nuclear related activities involving military related organizations, including activities related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile.”

* “Iran has carried out activities that are relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device. This information is assessed by the Agency to be, overall, credible.57 The Agency has obtained more information since November 2011 that has further corroborated the analysis contained in that Annex.”

Video - Ayatollah Khatami: Great Satan America Has Grown, Not Shrunk, in Past 36 Years - Death to America!

Iran identifies downed Israeli drone as Hermes-type, doesn't have flight range to reach Iran.

Nice try but FAIL

Iran identifies downed Israeli drone as Hermes-type, doesn't have flight range to reach Iran.(TAZ).
The commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' Aerospace Forces said that the Israeli spy drone that was shot over the Iranian sky is a Hermes-type.

Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh said that the Israeli drone was equipped with two front and side cameras that could capture panoramic footage with very high resolution.

"The drone is made by the Zionist regime and can operate within a range of 800 kilometers*," he explained.

He went on to note that the aircraft can cruise 1,600 kilometers on one tank of fuel.

"We had prior information about the aircraft because a previous model had been shot down in Syria. But this downed drone is a more advanced version," Hajizadeh said, however this information could not be confirmed independently.

"On Saturday, Iran's aerial defense network announced the intrusion of the spy drone into the Iranian airspace and because it entered our defense range, it was shot down by a missile," the commander noted.

"The drone's operational range shows that it had not taken off from the Zionist regime's bases, rather from a base in some regional country. We have some clues about its departure point," he added.

"Anti-radar composite material had been used in the body of stealth drone to make it capable for reconnaissance missions," he said.

Earlier, IRGC Spokesman Brigadier General Ramadan Sharif said that some parts of the Israeli spy drone have been found undamaged.

"IRGC experts are currently working on the information recovered from the spy drone," he said.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards shot down a radar-evading Israeli spy drone that was trying to penetrate Natanz nuclear enrichment site in central Iran, state news agency ISNA said on Sunday, quoting the Revolutionary Guards, Reuters reported.

The incident reportedly happened on Saturday, but the IRGC broke the news on Sunday.
"The downed aircraft was of the stealth, radar-evasive type and it intended to penetrate the off-limit nuclear area in Natanz... but was targeted by a ground-to-air missile before it managed to enter the area," ISNA said, citing a statement by the Revolutionary Guards.
The Israeli military says it will not comment on foreign reports.

*Distance between Iran to Israel: 1787.62Km ; 1110.78 Miles

Azeri drone in Armenian military parade. It looks exactly like the alleged "Israeli" drone "downed" in Iran. pic.twitter.com/urpTBssWw5

— Nehemia Gershuni (@Nehemia_G) August 25, 2014

Iran claims it Downed Israeli Spy Drone near Natanz Nuclear Site.

Iran claims it Downed Israeli Spy Drone near Natanz Nuclear Site.(Fars).

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force shot down an Israeli spy drone before it could reach Natanz nuclear enrichment facility, in Central Iran, on Sunday.

"A pilotless Israeli spy plane was shot down after it was traced and intercepted by the IRGC Aerospace Force," a statement by the IRGC's Public Relations Department announced minutes ago.

According to the statement, the Israeli pilotless aircraft was a radar-evading, stealth drone with the mission to spy on Iran's enrichment activities by flying over Natanz nuclear enrichment plant.

The IRGC also pointed out in its statement that the Israeli hostile aircraft has been targeted by a surface-to-air missile.

"This mischievous attempt once again made the adventurous nature of the Zionist regime more evident and added another black page to the dark record of this fake and warmongering regime, which is full of crimes and wickedness," the statement added.

The IRGC further warned that it "preserves the right of reaction and retaliation for itself".

It also noted that the IRGC alongside other Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic is fully and resolutely ready to defend the noble Iranian nation and Islamic Iran.

Since December, 2011, Iran has hunted down several more US drones of various types.

Iran planning to privatize nuclear energy industry, IAEO head says.

Iran planning to privatize nuclear energy industry, IAEO head says.(TAZ).

Iran plans to privatize its nuclear energy industry.

Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, invited the private sector to invest in the industry, Iran's IRNA News Agency reported on August 23.

"A couple of knowledge-based companies are currently cooperating with the government in the nuclear energy industry and we hope that they officially start their work at the field," he explained.

"The mentioned companies currently produce centrifuges with turbines for the health industry," he added. Salehi made the remarks at the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of Isfahan's Enriched Uranium Dioxide Production Unit.

"Launching the Enriched Uranium Dioxide Production Unit is in line with Iran's agreement with the P5+1 group of countries," he noted, saying that unit enriches uranium dioxide up to 5 percent.

The official went on to note that domestic experts designed and constructed the unit. Iran and the P5+1 group of countries sealed an interim deal in Geneva on November 24 to pave the way for the full resolution of the West's decade-old dispute with Iran over the country's nuclear energy program, Press TV reported.

The Geneva deal took effect on January 20 and expired on July 20. However the two sides agreed to extend their talks for four months till Nov. 24 to reach a permanent deal on Iran's disputed nuclear program.

In exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, the US and its allies agreed to lift some of the existing sanctions against Tehran.Hmmmm......I'm Sure the IRGC is just waiting to make it 'private'.

Iran said to ready ‘three-stage’ nuclear compromise.

Hmmm.......Khamenei: “A technical wrestler also shows flexibility for technical reasons sometimes, but he would never forget who his rival is and what his main goal is.“  In my view this can only mean WINNING!

Iran said to ready ‘three-stage’ nuclear compromise.

TEHRAN, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran will put forward a three-stage proposal in the upcoming Geneva nuclear talks with the world powers, semi-official ISNA news agency reported on Saturday.

The proposal package, if agreed upon at the first stage, will automatically commit the other party to "the recognition of the uranium enrichment right on Iran's soil" as the objective of the negotiations, said ISNA without referring to its information source.

The package also encompasses mutual steps in the course of negotiations so that the finality can be reached, said the report.

"The Iranian officials believe that, without any agreement on the first stage, the continuation of the negotiations will be very difficult and probably impossible," according to ISNA.

The P5+1 group, which includes the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, will resume talks with Iran on its controversial nuclear program in Geneva on Oct. 15-16.
On Friday, Press TV reported that Iran would attend the upcoming nuclear talks in Geneva with new proposals.

Media outlets reported on Wednesday that Iran is preparing a package of proposals to halt production of 20 percent enriched uranium, a key demand of the U.S. and other global powers.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the package includes " limits on the numbers of centrifuges operating, enrichment amounts and the need for verification."
Tehran in return will request that the United States and European Union begin scaling back sanctions, said the report.
On the day, sources close to the Iranian nuclear negotiating team said Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif will be present in the negotiations only if other parties are represented by their foreign ministers, according to Press TV.
In case the meeting is not held at the foreign ministers level, the deputy of Iran's foreign minister for legal and international affairs, Abbas Araqchi, will lead Iran's negotiating team, semi- official Mehr news agency reported on Friday.
On Saturday, senior Iranian lawmaker Esmail Kowsari reiterated Iran's official stance that the right to uranium enrichment inside Iran is non-negotiable in the upcoming nuclear discussions with world powers.
Iran's Majlis (parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani said that the forthcoming negotiations between Iran and six major world powers on the country's nuclear program should aim to build trust in order to yield results, Press TV reported on Saturday.
"The negotiations will lead to positive results if they are aimed at building confidence based on international regulations," Larijani was quoted as saying in Tehran on Friday upon his arrival from a tour to three European countries.
The Iranian speaker expressed hope that the P5+1 group, which includes the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, would show "seriousness and wisdom" in the upcoming nuclear talks with Iran.
He asked them to abide by international regulations and pursue the negotiations within a "specific framework."
Besides, the Iranian political analyst, Sadeq Zibakalam, said the upcoming nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 in Geneva will likely yield "promising results" as the time is ripe for finding a way to resolve Iran's nuclear issue, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Zibakalam, also a professor at the University of Tehran, told IRNA that if the Geneva talks lead to breaking the nuclear stalemate, it would be regarded as a big success for Iran. The US delegation to next week's talks about Iran's nuclear program includes one of the US government's leading sanctions experts, a hint that Washington may be giving greater thought to how it might ease sanctions on Tehran.

Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman, effectively the State Department's third-ranking diplomat, will lead the US delegation to negotiations between Iran and six major powers in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday, the State Department said.

The central issue at the talks, which will involve Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United States and Iran, will be to explore what, if any, steps Iran might take to curb its nuclear program and what, if any, sanctions relief the major powers may offer in return.

Western powers are concerned that Iran is seeking to develop atomic bombs. Iran denies that, saying its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes.

The US delegation will include Adam Szubin, the director of the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, and among the US government's foremost experts on sanctions.

Szubin has led OFAC since 2006 and is responsible for administering and enforcing the US government's economic sanctions programs to advance foreign policy and national security objectives.

The US team also includes James Timbie, senior adviser to the undersecretary of state for arms control and international security; Puneet Talwar, senior director for Iran, Iraq and the Gulf States on the White House National Security Staff; and Richard Nephew, principal deputy coordinator for sanctions policy at the State Department, a US official said.

Hmmm.......Obama forewarns Netanyahu that sanctions against Iran will soon be partially lifted

President Barack Obama has notified Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that his administration will soon start the partial and gradual easing of economic sanctions against Iran, debkafile reports exclusively from its Washington and Jerusalem sources. The reduction would apply to “non-significant” yet “substantial” sanctions, the message said.

Rouhani's greatest challenge was, and will always be, in Tehran.

Rouhani's greatest challenge was, and will always be, in Tehran.HT: UskowiOnIran.

By: Jabbar Fazeli, MD

The election of president Rouhani brought with it high expectations that he would change Iran and its political standoff with the west. His efforts, so far, have given the west reason to pause, and many are starting to think that he indeed has the authority to open a new chapter in Iran-West relations.

Sadly, back home the realities of the Islamic Republic are still as unchanged as ever.

Rouhani walked a tight rope since his election president; In his address to the IRGC leadership this month, he tried to shower them with praise and even welcomed their involvement in economic activities (some of you may have seen photos of various IRGC construction projects here). Somewhere is his speech he managed to tell the IRGC to "stay out of politics". He used quotes from the leader of the 1979 revolution, Khomeini, and the first Shia Imam Ali to make that point (1,2). 

Rouhani even convinced the supreme leader of Iran, Khamenei, to give the same advise to the IRGC. The best Khamenei could do was to say that the IRGC "should not get involved in everything" (3). Khamenei did go on to say that those who engage in diplomacy should be mindful of whom they are dealing with. Gen. Jafari used similar language today.

The commander of the IRGC, Gen. Jafari could be seen taking notes as Khamenei hinted that the IRGC should not get involved in politics, yet he did just that with in his criticism of Rouhani today. Jafari characterized accepting a phone call from president Obama a "tactical mistake".

The question is if Gen. Jafari is defying the command of his supreme leader to stay out of politics, or is he saying what Khamenei doesn't want to say himself? In think the later is more likely.

Khamenei may have blessed diplomacy to the lift the crippling sanctions, but he appears to want Rouhani to simply be a better messenger than Ahmadinejad, not a powerful president who could change Iranian foreign policy.

It must now be evident to Rouhani's that his hardest battles are not in the west. In his recent trip to NY, he was treated with respect and hope by everyone, including president Obama, only to return home to face the hard-liners' wrath, not to mention their shoes. 

Rouhani's greatest challenge was, and will always be, in Tehran, and his greatest challenger is not Gen. Jafari--it is the supreme leader himself.

Netanyahu Is Said to View Iran Deal as a Possible Trap.

Netanyahu Is Said to View Iran Deal as a Possible Trap.(NYT).

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, stepping up his effort to blunt a diplomatic offensive by Iran, plans to warn the United Nations next week that a nuclear deal with the Iranian government could be a trap similar to one set by North Korea eight years ago, according to an Israeli official involved in drafting the speech.

In his speech, the official said, Netanyahu plans to review the history of North Korea’s negotiations, with particular emphasis on an active period of diplomacy in 2005, when the North Korean government, in what was then seen as a landmark deal, agreed to abandon its nuclear weapons program in return for economic, security and energy benefits.

A year later, North Korea tested its first nuclear device. Israeli officials warn something similar could happen if the United States were to conclude too hasty a deal with Mr. Rouhani. As Iran is doing today, the North Koreans insisted on a right to a peaceful nuclear energy program.

Israeli officials fear, the highest drama may be Mr. Obama greeting Mr. Rouhani on the sidelines of the General Assembly, something that has not happened for decades and which they worry would leave Israel more isolated in dealing with Iran. Read the full story here.

Hmmm.......Khamenei: “A technical wrestler also shows flexibility for technical reasons sometimes, but he would never forget who his rival is and what his main goal is.“  In my view this can only mean WINNING!

Israeli Defense minister warns against Iran, as Rouhani heads to New York.

Israeli Defense minister warns against Iran, as Rouhani heads to New York.(JPost).

“The Zionist entity is the main threat in the region which violates the international charters regarding its possession of the weapons of mass destruction and its nuclear and chemical arsenal,” The Iranian President said.

 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will not give up on his country's nuclear aspirations, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon warned on Sunday in the midst of an apparent thaw in relations between Washington and Tehran.
Both US President Barack Obama and Rouhani are expected to address the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, leading to speculation of a possible meeting or contact between the two leaders.
A US official has privately acknowledged the administration's desire to engineer a handshake between the two leaders, which would be the highest-level US-Iranian contact since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
While the US has viewed positively a softening of Tehran’s hardline position, since Rouhani took office this August.

Hours before leaving for New York on Sunday Rouhani said that Tehran was ready for negotiations with Western powers provided they set no pre-conditions. He also said the world needed to accept Iran's right to enrich uranium.

Israel had continually warned the international community not to be fooled by the new Iranian president and has insisted that Tehran not be allowed to produce enriched uranium, a necessary ingredient for nuclear weapons.

“Rouhani was elected with permission from [Iran¹s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei. He’s displaying the nicer face of Iran, but he won’t make significant concessions on the nuclear issue. I¹m sure that¹s his objective,” Ya¹alon told 25 Christian lawmakers from around the world at the Mamilla Hotel in Jerusalem.

Ya¹alon referred to the Shia concept of Taqiyya, explaining that it means that “under certain circumstances, Muslims are allowed to cheat,” and that Rouhani “is going to lie.”

The defense minister also referred to Iranians targeting Israeli’s around the world, like in Argentina, Thailand and Bulgaria, warning that “we cannot underestimate [Iran¹s] determination to spread Shia Islam all over the globe, finance terror and undermine moderate Muslims.”

An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post, “We are skeptical in the extreme. The Iranians are doing this smiling campaign, but there is no meat. Iranian policy has not changed. They continue to work towards having a nuclear weapons capability.”

'Moderate Pres Rouhani' - “The Zionist entity is the main threat in the region."

'Moderate Pres Rouhani' - “The Zionist entity is the main threat in the region."(presstv)

Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, on Sunday said that all countries should devote their efforts to stop the war in Syria and stop supporting the armed terrorist groups.

In his speech on the anniversary of the “Sacred Defense Week”, Rouhani reiterated that Iran is against waging wars, asserting that “we can’t get rid of a war by igniting another.”

He stressed the necessity of the Syrian opposition to have a dialogue with the Syrian government.
He pointed out that Iran and its armed forces are a factor for realizing peace in the region.

“The Zionist entity is the main threat in the region which violates the international charters regarding its possession of the weapons of mass destruction and its nuclear and chemical arsenal,” The Iranian President said.

He expressed Iran’s readiness to hold talks with the Western countries without preconditions and talks should be based on “mutual respect.”
Earlier, the Iranian President urged, in an article published by the American The Washington Post Newspaper on the sidelines of attending the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly, the international community to constructively work for launching a national dialogue in Syria.

He expressed his country’s readiness to help facilitate dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition, affirming the need for the people of the region to determine their fate by themselves.Hmmm.....about as moderate as Ahmadinejad i would say.