Powerful Voices Within Tehran Criticize Iran's Nuclear Policy

[ECH1969]

Some people in powerful positions have begun to insist that the confrontational tactics of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have been backfiring, making it harder instead of easier for Iran to develop a nuclear program.

This week, the United Nations Security Council is meeting to take up the Iranian nuclear program. That referral and, perhaps more important, Iran's inability so far to win Russia's unequivocal support for its plans have empowered critics of Mr. Ahmadinejad, according to political analysts with close ties to the government.

One senior Iranian official, who asked to remain anonymous because of the delicate nature of the issue, said: "I tell you, if what they were doing was working, we would say, 'Good.' " But, he added: "For 27 years after the revolution, America wanted to get Iran to the Security Council and America failed. In less than six months, Ahmadinejad did that."

On Tuesday, both Mr. Ahmadinejad and the nation's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, insisted in public speeches that their country would never back down. At the same time, Iranian negotiators arrived in Moscow to resume talks — at Iran's request — just days after Iran had rejected a Russian proposal to resolve the standoff.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/15/international/middleeast/15iran.html?ei=5065&en=d0d65e443354d799&ex=1143003600&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

[Celeborn Skywalker]

1. I take this as good news

I would much rather Iran work out their problems internally than the UN or US take action against them.

[ECH1969]

2. Unlike the president of Iran

Most people in Iran don't want there country to be bombed.

[John Q. Citizen]

3. Do you really believe the President of Iran wants his country

bombed?

Maybe he wants to use it as an excuse to attack Iraq. LIHOP or MIHOP?

[ECH1969]

5. If Israel or the US bomb Iran he becomes many times more powerful

Powerful enough to use his Revolutionary Guards to remove all his political enemies.

He has been basically begging Israel to attack. Iran would have got off with a bomb without the chance in hell of an attack or even sanctions until he started his weekly we are going to wipe out Israel crap.

[MrPrax]

14. I don't think...

Ahmadinejad and his crew NEED anyone to attack them to consolidate power, no more than BushCo. needs anymore attacks to furnish the executive with all the power they crave...

[still_one]

4. really the leaders if Iran want the U.S. to bomb their country?

just like the Iraqii leaders wanted us to bomb them

Perhaps they are looking at the hypocricy, and double standard being used. Don't get me wrong, I am NOT an advocate of nuclear proliferation, but the U.S. is one of the biggest proliferaters around. Keep in mind we are the country who is enabling India to exapnd use of more nuclear weapons and less oversight.

[ECH1969]

6. Iran's president is not the Iranian leadership

Iran's president would like nothing more then to destory the Guardian Council and be the sole ruler of Iran. The only way that is going to happen is if he gets attacked by somebody. He doesn't care if it is the Jews, America, or whoever. He just wants his 911 to destory the opposition.

[still_one]

7. I don't know if I agree with your premise that he want a 911 to destroy

his opposition, but I do agree if the west is stupid enough to attack Iran, it will be create a more precarious situation for our troops in Iraq, and unite the middle east in a way we would NOT have dreamed possible

Perhaps we should change our approach to a dialog instead of an intimidator. I do not see our position increased in the world within the past six years by our arragonce. In fact just the opposite has occurred. South America is the perfect example

[teryang]

8. This article is wishful thinking

It's a projection from the Times. Russia's motives aren't even examined. They can't calculate whether they will benefit or not and by how much.

India has been bought off.

The policy of belligerence in southwest Asia and the nuclear double standard by our war industry/AIPAC regime is going to bring about a major war in Asia. Russia will profit from such a war. Will we?

[bemildred]

10. Yep, unattributed bullshit.

Ahm-an-idjit is a Dolton clone to be sure, but that's his job, that's why he was (s)elected.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Ahmadinejad is a figurehead.

And Iran's strategy of delay is working fine. "One senior Iranian official, who asked to remain anonymous" is just part of Iran's delaying tactics.

"Iran's inability so far to win Russia's unequivocal support for its plans" - ah yes of course the Russians are going to provide "unequivocal support". I think not. I think the Russians are going to play both sides of this game as long as they possibly can. The Russians have nothing to gain from being unequivocal about anything here and "One senior Iranian official, who asked to remain anonymous" is well aware of that.

I call bullshit on this article. This is straight out of the Ministry of Disinformation, the only question here is who's MoD?

[plasticsundance]

11. Exactly

You make excellent points on the geostrategical and geopolitical motives. As for Washington, it wants to convince the world that Iran needs regime change.

Read the language coming from McClellan:

McClellan said Iran wants to divert attention from the real issue, but that ‘‘all nations understand the importance of preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon. ... This is about the regime’s behavior.’’

Iran’s leader says no compromise on nuclear issue

Here's Bolton in his own words:

At the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said the Bush administration wants to move ‘‘as quickly as we can,’’ although he added that it wants to maintain the unity of the five permanent council members that wield veto power.

‘‘Every day that goes by is a day that permits the Iranians to get closer to a nuclear weapons capability,’’ Bolton said.

Doesn't the language eerily sound like that used prior the invasion of Iraq?

Concerning Russia and China, this article also articulates succinctly their position towards Tehran:

A British-French draft demands that Iran halt all uranium enrichment, which can be used to make nuclear arms, and calls for a report within weeks on Iran’s progress toward answering questions about its nuclear program.

Russia and China, which have strong economic ties with Tehran, say the draft does not leave enough room for diplomacy.

As for the article that started this topic, all it says in that some in "powerful positions" in Iran do not like the approach taken by Ahmadinejad, but Iranians are united on developing a nuclear program anyways. The US finds this unacceptable. Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei know that the US and the Security Council, mostly the US, will be the ones seen by the Iranian people as wearing the black hats. However, the US and Europe feel they have no other choice, because a nuclear Iran would relinquish their desired grip on the ME.

Perhaps, these "powerful voices" in Iran wish to remain anonymous, because they might have names that resemble 'curveball.' :eyes:

[george_hurley]

12. ***PETITION TO SIGN: NO WAR WITH IRAN ***

Hello,

For the past year, the growing tensions mounting between the US, Israel, and Iran are reaching a point where military action against Iran is w/in months of becoming reality. The repercussions are terrifying as such military action could involve countries such as China and Russia as they share massive energy/economic interests w/ Iran. The most likely scenario we would face would be the collapse of the US economy as the combination of a massive rise in oil prices and a run on the US dollar would surely be the weapon many countries would use to fight back against a preemptive US or Israeli strike.

For a collection of articles and resources on this subject you can visit this link: http://reseaudesign.com/research/iran/iran_summery.html

I'm starting up a petition which I will be sending out to as many members of Congress as possible. I'm asking for help to get this signed by as many people, possible in the next month. Send it to as many people you can.

http://www.petitiononline.com/n0war1rn /



Also, here is another petition you can sign from another group:
http://stopwaroniran.org/statement.shtml


Thanks for your time

[george_hurley]

13. ***PETITION TO SIGN: NO WAR WITH IRAN ***

Hello,

For the past year, the growing tensions mounting between the US, Israel, and Iran are reaching a point where military action against Iran is w/in months of becoming reality. The repercussions are terrifying as such military action could involve countries such as China and Russia as they share massive energy/economic interests w/ Iran. The most likely scenario we would face would be the collapse of the US economy as the combination of a massive rise in oil prices and a run on the US dollar would surely be the weapon many countries would use to fight back against a preemptive US or Israeli strike.

For a collection of articles and resources on this subject you can visit this link: http://reseaudesign.com/research/iran/iran_summery.html

I'm starting up a petition which I will be sending out to as many members of Congress as possible. I'm asking for help to get this signed by as many people, possible in the next month. Send it to as many people you can.

http://www.petitiononline.com/n0war1rn /



Also, here is another petition you can sign from another group:
http://stopwaroniran.org/statement.shtml


Thanks for your time