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.
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