Iran shows interest on nuclear talks

With a long time apart for a year’s length, the West and Iran are moving within reach of each other. November 10^th is a set date for when Iran has claimed it would be prepared to begin talks, though the EU envoy Lady Ashton, the person in charge of any talks, made the motion of November 15^th. Western officials have shown no high remarks in how fast Iran is responding to messages from the West even when there are public claims by Iranian officials that there is enthusiasm to begin such talks. Time plays a big factor on both sides of these talks; many, in the West, have concluded on putting harder new sets of proposals towards Iran. The longer Iran takes to engage in talks, the higher the price can made for costs that Iran must purchase for the nuclear program. The West would also make a hard statement in wanting Iran to halt its uranium enriching process at its current 20%. Many of these tough new sanctions may give Iran mixed signals, however the main messages stands as the hold up from Tehran enlarges the money needed to make a deal with the West. New talks are hoped to begin, but there are so many hidden agendas on the different sides of the table some are claiming this to be a new set of rounds in, “shadow-boxing.”

Source: Jon Leyne, BBC Tehran correspondent

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11653749

Iran begins process for loading fuel in the Bushehr nuclear reactor.

                Iran portrays the Bushehr nuclear reactor, the first in Iran, is a victory over the enemies. Electricity is now going to be able to spread in different parts of Iran for 2011. Russian operating groups have control of the facility in southern Iran. Russia will contribute Iran nuclear fuel as well as extracting the waste. Western nations are aware of Iran’s detached uranium enrichment agenda. Iran still claims that these agendas are for simply peaceful purposes. UN sanctions have made concerns four times because of this uranium program. Many believe, experts in nuclear enrichment program fields, have made remarks that show Russia being in control and with the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there should be no problem in the long run. Russian engineers are certain that the plant will run safely. Iran, as making this a victory claim again, looks that the West changed their objection towards having the plant finished. With Russia being a big player in the operations of the plant, many see the involvement that would make it very difficult for the Bushehr to create a nuclear bomb. Fuel, made out of uranium, being used in Bushehr is far below the elevated level needed to make a nuclear weapon. The West uses enriched fuel at 90% while uranium being used at Bushehr can only be enriched to increase at 3.5%

Source: Jon Leyne Terhan correspondent, BBC News, Cairo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11625058

Maliki, Iraqi PM, goes to find help in Iran

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has began a trip to visiting different near-by countries, starting in Iran, while he tries to grasp his second term. This is due mainly to unresolved general election back in March. During talks with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mr Maliki pleaded with Tehran for help in reconstruct Iraq. Ayad Allawi, chief rival to Nouri Maliki, gives remarks such as Iran is obstructing Iraq’s independents and imposing Iran’s will onto the country. “We ask Iran and our neighbours to support our reconstruction and to boost economic and commercial cooperation, which will help improve stability in our region,” spoke Mr. Maliki, a statement issued by his office in Baghdad. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated, “Formation of a government as soon as possible and establishment of full security are among the important needs of Iraq, because development and reconstruction… can’t be achieve without these two. Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadienjad spoke with Mr. Maliki and said that Tehran “fully supports a united, strong, and independent Iraq.” “We hope that by forming the new Iraqi government the long period of hardship will end, and by different Iraqi groups cooperating, the destruction ends and the people achieve prosperity,” the president was quoted saying on Iranian state television’s website. These visits are likely to bring more accusations towards Maliki being a stooge for Iran following Iran’s supreme leader.

Paul Arthur Shea

Work Cited: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11564343

18 October 2010 Last updated at 11:06 ET

S-300s to stay in Russia, not to be sold to Iran

It was a close time for Iran, about to receive nuclear power, to be generated for civilian use only throughout some of the major populated areas of central Iran. After having four major companies withdraw from Iran's nuclear power program and having a virus, supposedly sent by multiple sources, Iran is has yet another story involving to foreign relations.Russia is showing poor signs of growth in relations with Iran as well as nuclear power. Russia has canceled the deal and claims that they will pay back Iran for the payment made for a missile defense system. S-300 would have helped Iran's anti-air defenses. Sergei Chemezov, who is head of Russia's state weapons exporter, says the contract consisted of $166m, noting that the full amount would be repaid. "Of course, they are not very pleased. We do not have a choice," he stated. Officials in Iran are making accusations that Moscow has breached the contract due to pressure from the West, mainly the US. Iran insists on stating that they, as a country, are not seeking nuclear weapons and that the program for nuclear power is in civilian hands. Russia has followed with US and European strongholds for tough sanction when it comes to Iran's nuclear program.
Paul Arthur Shea

Sarah Shourd is out of Iran

At the start of July 31, 2009 Sarah was arrested near Iran's border in Khormal, where they were hiking by mistake. Sarah felt "humbled" with this "humanitarian gesture."
In Tehran, officials claimed of "suspicious aims," and will still want the American hikers to stand trial for espionage.
Even with Sarah's release, the two men, Mr Bauer and Mr Fattal, are still being held in Evin Prison.
Tehran chief prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi said he didn't accept the plans announced by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for Sarah's release at the end of Islamic holy month of Ramadan, for the reason of legal procedures had "not been completed."
Nora Shourd, Sarah's mother, said that, after seeing her in May, Sarah was not allowed treatment for serious problems in her health, which involve a lump in her breast as well as precancerous cervical cells.
All three of the hikers were said to be depressed and undernourished.
Bail was $500,000.

First Reactor since project began 35 years ago.

It appears that the Middle East has plans to build the first reactor, only one country has been a provider which has been Russia. However the co-operations are limited with the safety standards of the INSC. (International Nuclear Safety Convention) They would know though if Iran were to change its operating tasks, "It would be a risk if Iran operated it differently, i.e. for short periods at low burn-up in order to produce weapons-usable plutonium. But in this case, the IAEA would know,' Mr Fitzpatrick says." Mark Fizpatrick is an experienced arms control expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London (IISS) "When Bushehr starts up, it will be the only power reactor in the world operating without its national government belonging to the INSC"- Jonathan Marcus BBC "But Mr Fitzpatrick wonders how Iran will build reactors on its own.

"They certainly would not be safe', he told me."
So it could be a risk, however there are plenty of facts that would allow the INSC to find out if Iran was operating to produce weapons of nuclear capability. If other countries in the Middle-East are willing to buy nuclear power then why not give the Iranian changes to become more experienced in nuclear technology.  

Title Posting

We stand at a different time for the course of the violence in the Middle-East. No matter how far we believe to have come, we have to turn the page again to face another issue or even go back to the current place of many disputes between the United States and Iraq. Will they request our help again while we are busy in Afganistan? Will Iraq move forward with less violence and better world posture?