Sept. 15, 2011
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iran/index.html
The United States has been at odds with Iran over its suppression of the Green Movement and its support for militant groups around the region like Hamas and Hezbollah, but primarily over a nuclear program that much of the international community believes is meant to develop weapons.
In May 2011, the world’s global nuclear inspection agency, frustrated by Iran’s refusal to answer questions, revealed for the first time that it possesses evidence that Tehran has conducted work on a highly sophisticated nuclear triggering technology that experts said could be used for only one purpose: setting off a nuclear weapon.
In early September, intelligence officials said Iran was moving its most sensitive nuclear fuel production to a heavily defended underground military facility outside the holy city of Qum, where it is less vulnerable to attack from the air, and, the Iranians hope, to cyberattacks like Stuxnet. The head of Iran’s atomic energy agency, Fereydoon Abbasi, spoke about the transfer in general terms and boasted that his country would produce the fuel in much larger quantities than it needs for a small research reactor in Tehran that produces medical isotopes.
For more on Iran’s nuclear program, click here.
IRAN THREATENS WARSHIPS TO US…
TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran raised the prospect on Tuesday of sending military ships close to the United States’ Atlantic coast, in what would be a major escalation of tensions between the long-standing adversaries.
“Like the arrogant powers that are present near our marine borders, we will also have a powerful presence close to American marine borders,” the head of the Navy, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 31st anniversary of the start of the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, Sayyari gave no details of when such a deployment could happen or the number or type of vessels to be used.
The declaration comes just weeks after Turkey said it would host a NATO early warning radar system which will help spot missile threats from outside Europe, including potentially from Iran. The decision has angered Tehran which had enjoyed close relations with Ankara.
Iran plans to send military ships near the Atlantic coast of the United States, but offered no timeline or details on the “powerful presence” its naval head promised would be deployed.
Iranian Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari warned that his country plans to station ships near the U.S. sea borders in a move that would dramatically heighten tensions between the two countries, Reuters reported.
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