Israel News

Iran Warns of Rapid Nuclear Enrichment, “Trouble” if US Nixes Nuclear Deal

by Joshua Spurlock

Iranian nuclear power plant (illustrative)

Monday, 23 April 2018 | The nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers intended to increase the time it would take Iran to develop nuclear weapons if they ever chose to “break out” and move full speed towards nukes. There are many steps in that process, but a key step is developing the nuclear fuel for the bomb. And getting their nuclear fuel creation back to where they were before the nuclear deal would only take Iran four days.

That’s the threat from the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, who warned on Saturday they could rapidly restore their nuclear fuel enrichment back to their previously known top level of research-grade at 20%—weapons-grade is 90%—if the global powers dropped the nuclear deal. And that’s not all Iran could do.

Salehi, whose comments were published by the Fars News Agency, further said, without providing details, that Iran has other means to respond to the United States if they were to back out of the deal as President Donald Trump has threatened. Salehi said Iran is “prepared to move like an army” and hinted that American allies—perhaps including Israel—could also be targeted by Iran. “We hope that the other side makes a wise decision and avoids moves that would trouble them and others as well,” Salehi said.

A day before Salehi’s comments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday made it clear that his country was ready for whatever Iran tried to throw at them. “We hear the threats from Iran. The fighters of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] and the security services are prepared for any development,” said Netanyahu in comments released by his office. “We will fight against whoever tries to harm us. We will not be deterred by the cost and we will exact a price from those who seek our lives. The IDF is up to the task, and the people will endure.”

The back and forth rhetoric comes as Trump’s deadline for the Europeans to develop a supplemental agreement to enhance the Iran nuclear pact is just weeks away. Trump has made it clear he will not continue to dismiss sanctions on Iran alleviated under the deal if the agreement is not changed, which would effectively dismantle the accord.

In response, Salehi isn’t the only Iranian official warning of Iranian nuclear fuel enrichment if the nuclear deal with the world powers collapses. Fars reported that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said it was “probable” that they would resort to enriching nuclear fuel again in that scenario.

While Trump is seeking additional safeguards from the Europeans to prevent Iran from threatening the region, Zarif urged the Europeans to hold the US to the nuclear deal and claimed that the US “never should have feared Iran producing a nuclear bomb.” He reiterated that sentiment on Sunday in an interview with CBS and said he did not think Iran and Israel were moving towards a “regional war.”

But while Zarif can sound “moderate” in his words, Netanyahu said on Sunday that there is a clear disconnect between Iran’s diplomatic speech and their actions.

“There is a tremendous gap between [Zarif’s] words and the actions of the Revolutionary Guards which are moving an army against Israel with the avowed goal of destroying the State of Israel,” said Netanyahu in comments released by his office.

Commenting on Zarif, Netanyahu noted he is “the foreign minister of a country that sends armed UAVs against Israel and missiles at Saudi Arabia.” Netanyahu further warned that the IDF “are prepared for any possibility and any scenario.”

Source: (The Mideast Update originally published this article on 22 April 2018. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today.)

Photo Credit: Tasnim News Agency/wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus

Intercede for PM Netanyahu as he is dealing with politics while fighting for Israel’s existence and safety. Ask for God’s blessing over his life and pray for inspiration, endurance, wisdom, courage and excellent health. Pray that Israel’s leadership will keep their eyes fixed on God and that there will be unity among them as decisions are made regarding Iran.

Scripture

I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

- Psalm 16:7-8

Russia Threatens Israel over Missile Defense System in Syria

by Joshua Spurlock

Russian missile defense, S-300V (SA-12a Gladiator)

Tuesday, 24 April 2018 | The Russians are seriously considering putting an advanced missile defense system in Syria—which has the Israelis concerned—and Moscow has warned the Jewish state against attacking that system should it be deployed to Israel’s northern neighbor. The Independent, republishing comments from the Russian Kommersant newspaper, cited Russian military sources threatening that Israel and “all sides” would “suffer catastrophic consequences” if they struck at the S-300 system.

Israel has reportedly bombed multiple targets in Syria over the years, including recent reports of a strike that killed Iranians at a Syrian airbase. The Americans, British, and French also recently attacked Syria in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack by the Syrian regime against its own people.

In light of that multinational attack, Russia is now nearing a decision to provide the S-300 advanced defense system to Syria, Kommersant reported in a separate article, and that’s disconcerting to Israel. The Russian newspaper quoted Israeli diplomat Alex Ben-Zvi as saying that any weapons that can “threaten Israel’s security” generically “bother” Israel. Ben-Zvi, Israel’s Director of the Department of Eurasia of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not specifically say if Israel would discuss the Syrians’ obtaining the S-300 in Israeli discussions with Russia.

Meanwhile, Israel publicly announced another strike on Syria on Monday after an apparently stray Syrian mortar shell landed near the Israeli border. The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] Spokesperson posted to Twitter that it appeared to be “errant fire.” A follow-up tweet said that Israel responded by attacking an artillery piece “in the area from which the fire originated.”

Tweeted the IDF Spokesperson, “The IDF holds the Syrian regime accountable & won’t tolerate any attempt to breach Israeli sovereignty or endanger civilians.”

Syria isn’t the only threat facing Israel, and Jerusalem isn’t losing sight of that fact. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took time to specifically restate Israel’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear program on Monday.

“Israel will not allow regimes that seek our annihilation to acquire nuclear weapons. This is why we opposed so resolutely the Iran deal, because it gives Iran a clear path to a nuclear arsenal,” said Netanyahu, in comments released by his office.

He went on to note that the deal eventually permits “unlimited enrichment of uranium, the core ingredient required to produce nuclear bombs” and furthermore the international accord “does not deal with the ballistic missiles that can deliver this weapon to many, many countries.”

Said Netanyahu, “This is why this deal has to be either fully fixed or fully nixed.”

Source: (The Mideast Update originally published this article on 23 April, 2018. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today.)

Photo Credit: Vitaly V. Kuzmin/Wikipedia.org

Photo License: Wikipedia

Prayer Focus

Thank God for His faithfulness and promises to the house of Israel! Cry out against the enemies of Israel and nations plotting her destruction. Ask God to stir nations to rise up against the military escalation that the Russian missile defense system will bring to the situation in Syria.

Scripture

Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face.