From FOX News: Ahmadinejad: Iran Won't Give Up Uranium Enrichment.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad struck a defiant yet vague tone on Sunday, telling Iranians during the 28th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution that their country would not give up uranium enrichment but was prepared to negotiate. ...While Iran insists it will not give up uranium enrichment, the United States and some of its allies fear the Islamic republic is more interested in enrichment's other application — creating the fissile core of nuclear warheads. Iran insists its program is peaceful and to generate electricity. ...
Ahmadinejad's comments Sunday were part of a speech that was broadcast live during nationwide rallies marking the 28th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians gathered at a Tehran square, chanting slogans including: "Death to America!"
UPDATE I -- Feb. 12: Iran is turning on the charm today, and no doubt people who want to believe their lies will, despite all evidence to the contrary. From FOX News: Iran Denies U.S. Charge That It Is Arming Terrorists in Iraq.
Iran on Monday rejected U.S. accusations that the highest levels of Iranian leadership have armed Shiite militants in Iraq with armor-piercing roadside bombs, a day after U.S. military officials in Baghdad said they had traced the weapons to Tehran.President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a televised interview aired Monday that his country was opposed to conflict and bloodshed in Iraq and that problems in Iraq should be solved with dialogue, not the use of force. ...
The deadly and highly sophisticated weapons are known as "explosively formed penetrators," or EFPs, which have killed more than 170 troops from the American-led coalition. Three senior U.S. military officials in Baghdad said the "machining process" used in the construction of the deadly bombs had been traced to Iran.
Iran is trying to make it seem like these charges are new. But here are reports going back a year and a half indicating that weapons, explosives, and trained fighters are coming into Iraq from Iran:
Rumsfeld: Iraq bombs 'clearly from Iran' (CNN, August 10, 2005)
EXCLUSIVE: Iraq Weapons -- Made in Iran? (ABC News, March 6, 2006)
Rumsfeld accuses Iran of troublemaking in Iraq (AP via Army Times, March 7, 2006)
Casey cites Iran hand in attacks by Iraqi Shiites (The Washington Times, June 23, 2006)
Barbero: Iran training Shiite insurgents (AP via Army Times, August 24, 2006)
Donkeys harboring weapons stopped at Iran-Iraq border (Army Times, November 2, 2006)
Iran involvement suspected in Karbala compound attack (CNN, January 31, 2007)
UPDATE II: The White House is sticking to its charges while also reassuring Iran they have nothing to be concerned about. From FOX News: White House Stands by Iran Munitions Evidence, Plays Down Talk of Military Action.
The White House stuck to its guns Monday, insisting it had clear evidence that Tehran approved the shipment of weapons — including deadly bomb-making materials — to Shiite militants for use against U.S. forces in Iraq. At the same time, Press Secretary Tony Snow said critics are using the evidence presentation to try to "whip this up" into a story about the United States being on the verge of armed conflict with Iran.
UPDATE III: From VOA: Top American General Disputes US Military Claim on Iran.
UPDATE IV -- Feb. 13: From The Telegraph: Iraqi insurgents using Austrian rifles from Iran.
Posted by Forkum at February 11, 2007 05:29 PM
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