The West needs to be genuine if they're to negotiate with Iran over the nuclear issue

TEHRAN – Iran’s former chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani has said that Tehran’s nuclear issue can be resolved if world powers enter negotiations seriously. 

 

Rohani, the current director of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council, told reporters on Friday that the issues between Iran and the West, whether nuclear or otherwise, must be resolved through dialogue.  

 

“Iran has always said that it is ready to hold serious negotiations,” Rohani said. 

 

Commenting on unilateral sanctions against Iran, Rohani said, “When the West is increasing pressure and at the same time is talking about negotiations, then negotiations mean surrender.”

 

“If negotiations are serious and based on mutual understanding, there is no need to such tough actions,” he added. 

 

Rohani emphasized that if the West is seeking to make the Iranian nation surrender, it will never achieve its goal. The only solution is that they seriously come up for negotiations, he added.

Iran marks 34th anniversary of Islamic Revolution

Via Press TV

Special ceremonies are being held across Iran to mark the 34th anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime. The ceremonies kicked off all over the country on Thursday morning at 9:33 a.m. local time (0603 GMT), the time when the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, returned to the Iranian capital, Tehran, on February 1, 1979 after a 15-year exile in Paris. 

 

High-ranking Iranian officials and people from all walks of life came together at the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic in southern Tehran to renew their allegiance to the ideals of late Imam Khomeini. 

The day of Imam Khomeini's return to Iran marks the beginning of the Ten Days of Dawn, which culminates with the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution on February 10. Iranians have arranged different programs to celebrate the event by honoring Imam Khomeini's historic return and the memory of the revolution’s martyrs. On Wednesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the mausoleum of the late Imam Khomeini to pay tribute to the founder of the Islamic Revolution. 

 

 The Iranian nation toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime 34 years ago, ending 2,500 years of monarchic rule in the country. The Islamic Revolution, under the guidance of Imam Khomeini, established a new political system based on Islamic values and democracy.

Why Iran should get the bomb: A review of Waltz's perspective

Monday, 27 November, 2012: The acclaimed neo-realist theorist Kenneth Waltz is of the view that Iran should go nuclear. He believes that a nuclear Iran will bring nuclear stability in the Middle East region. There have been historical enmity and callous relationship between Iran and the US and her ally Israel. The tensions have been recently been exacerbated by Iran’s nuclear ambition. The West has responded to these attempts by slapping Tehran with numerous sanctions and trade embargos on her goods.

The implications of Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been written and widely argued on how dangerous such a move will be. Most US, European and Israel commentators and policymakers warn that a nuclear-armed Iran would be the worst possible outcome of the standoff on uranium enrichment in Iran. A number of avenues have been postulated on how to deal with the crisis over Iran’s nuclear program. As noted earlier, sanctions have been used to punish Iran but they have relentlessly pursued the desire for nuclear technology.  Analysts have seen this measure as futile since Iran is determined to pursue her security agenda by possessing nuclear technology, just like the other world super powers. By the look of things, Iran is not willing to drop its nuclear ambition. 

The implications of such a move can also be interpreted with a positive touch. Israel’s regional nuclear monopoly, which has endured for close to five decades now, has long fueled instability in the region. Regional balance of power in the Middle East can be stabilized with a nuclear Iran. Kenneth Waltz has argued that the fear of a reprisal attack on Israel by Iran is grossly exaggerated. This has completely distorted the positives of such a move by Iran. There have been misjudged arguments that the Ayatollahs and whole Iranian system is irrational and will hit Israel after acquiring a bomb. On the contrary, Iran as a state wants to compete with other developed nations around the world. History has shown us that when countries acquire nuclear arsenal, they feel increasingly vulnerable and become acutely aware of the dangers posed therewith. 

In 1991, the historical rivals of India and Pakistan signed a treaty agreeing not to target each other nuclear facilities. The two, by virtue of such an agreement respect each other and brought about balance of power in the region. It’s for this reason that Waltz argues that a nuclear Iran will bring about more stability in the Middle East region. A nuclear Iran will bring stability and possibly mend relations with Israel. Who knows?            

Israeli attack will meet Iran's great response: Nasrallah

Via Press TV

Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah says he does not believe Israel will attack Iran in the “foreseeable future,” warning that Tehran’s response to any potential assault will anyway be “great.”

"Personally, I do not expect the Israeli enemy - at least in the coming months or foreseeable future - (to wage) an attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran," Nasrallah said in an interview with the Beirut-based Al Mayadeen television on Monday.

"A decision has been taken to respond and the response will be very great," Nasrallah added.

"The response will not be just inside the Israeli entity - American bases in the whole region could be Iranian targets… If Israel targets Iran, America bears responsibility,” the Hezbollah leader said.

Nasrallah added that there were disagreements among Israeli officials over attacking Iran's nuclear facilities.

On Sunday, Israel’s former Supreme Court judge Eliyahu Winograd lashed out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister for Military Affairs Ehud Barak for their “extremely irresponsible” statements about striking Iran.

“I'm not familiar with their [Netanyahu and Barak’s] considerations, but their [statements] are extremely irresponsible,” Winograd said.

"The chiefs of the entire defense establishment - Shin Bet and Mossad chiefs past and present, Military Intelligence - they all oppose a strike but Netanyahu and Barak alone will decide?” he asked.

The US, Israel and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Tel Aviv has repeatedly threatened Tehran with a military strike to pressure it to halt its nuclear energy work.

Iran refutes the allegations over its nuclear energy program has promised a crushing response to any military strike against the country.