Lawmakers protest suspicious flights over Iranian cities

[bigtree]

Tehran, Dec 20, IRNA
http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-17/0512205175195411.htm

Three lawmakers on Tuesday drew the attention of Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki to the increasing number of suspicious flights by US and British drones in the southern cities of Iran and their violation of the country's airspace.

Majlis deputies from Ahvaz (Khuzestan province) Nasser Soudani, from Shoushtar (Khuzestan province) Mohammad-Ali Sheikh and from Mashhad (Razavi Khorasan province) Ali Asgari have in their written notices also called for investigating the issue and lodging protests with international bodies.

Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel read out the notices at the open session of Majlis on Tuesday.


related:


EC chairman: Iran determined to make use of its nuclear rights

Tehran, Dec 20, IRNA
http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-17/0512203070192702.htm

Iran-Rafsanjani-Nuclear
Expediency Council (EC) Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani here Tuesday told the Dutch Ambassador to Tehran Henry de Vries that Iran's nuclear approach is clear and that it is determined to make use of its legal rights for peaceful application of atomic energy and access to complete nuclear fuel cycle.

According to a report released by the EC, he pointed to recent threats against Iran in this respect as futile and said that threats and unilateralism will be futile and would rather make the situation more difficult for both negotiators.

"The correct procedure is to continue nuclear talks with patience with the aim of confidence building. The negotiators engaging Iran should approach the issue with good intention," he added.

Terming Iran's policy on Palestine and Middle East over the recent years as `stable and rational', he noted that the Iranian officials have always supported the rights of Palestinian people by avoiding direct interference.

[katinmn]

1. US and the Brits. Up to their same no-good shit.

This is probably meant to bait and antagonize again.

[tx_dem41]

2. To be fair...there is MUCH more to this story, than what Rafsanjani..

is saying.

[bigtree]

4. first of all there is no more of a credible threat from Iran than there is

from Pakistan. Pakistan is not even a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. They have a brotherly relationship with China who supplies them with their nuclear material. But, not a word from Washington about (edit:) Pakistan.

If Rafsanjani harbors any ill will towards the US it is a defensive stance born out of our antagonism, both military and mercenary, that comes from meglomaniacs in the US who hunger to dominate Iran and stifle their influence on regional states where the US also muckrakes for dominance and influence.

[tx_dem41]

5. Ummmm....we agree on Pakistan. It doesn't have to be an "either/or"..

situation as you assume.

Iran is a potential threat. They've earned that honor regardless of motivation.

[bigtree]

6. well, I would support our country to act against any foreign aggression

against our nation or our allies, but that's not the point. I believe that Iran is no more complicit in any of the muckraking that our government wants to hold them accountable for than we are in the region, we don't come at this with clean hands. I just can't start any of these discussions as if our country has not just invaded a sovereign nation, occupied it, stole their resources, and won't leave until they adopt our version of democracy.

[tx_dem41]

9. I think we agree on more than you think.

I would have NEVER have invaded Iraq. Pakistan is much more an enemy, and our coddling of them over the AQ Khan affair is embarrassing at best (mind you, I wouldn't have supported an invasion of Pakistan either). Having said that, given the present situation we would be fools not to be worried now about Iran's rumblings over nuclear power. I'm not saying that this isn't possible posturing towards a future invasion (which I would oppose and consider foolhardy). I'm just saying that it might be a smart "limited" defense policy instead.

[bigtree]

10. why don't France and Germany seem concerned

that negotiations and compromise won't be sufficient?

Israel insists that Iran has threatened them with nuclear weapons, but the statement by Hashemi-Rafsanjani seems to be stating the obvious, that if Iran had weapons, there would be the deterence of mutually assured destruction: edit:(second read, sleepy eyes, he does foolishly claim that the Muslim world would suffer less, but I doubt he believes it)

"If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave any thing in Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world", Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani told the crowd at the traditional Friday prayers in Tehran.

http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2001/dec_2001/rafsanjani_nuke_threats_141201.htm

[tx_dem41]

11. I can't rely on singular posts from a politician to make a judgement..

on. I have to look at the "compendium of his or her work". There is much to be at the very least "wary" about.

Although I respect the French and Germans in regards to the run-up to this war. I can't bank on everything they say as being 100% correct. I just think its good policy to keep an eye on Iran. And that might mean flying drones over some "interesting" parts of their country. Its nothing new...just the altitude is new.

[doublethink]

3. Oh boy ...

the hits just keep on coming today .... another post that may be related in case you haven't already seen it here ... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5650584&mesg_id=5650584 Peace.

[peacetalksforall]

7. Yep, the noise making has been going on for awhile. PNAC plan # ?

First, Iran is peooclaimed to be an enemy in the famouw Axis of Evil speech of George.

The war mongering words continue.

Ms. Liar claims Iran cannot have nuclear anything.

Goss tells Turkey yo prepare for a possible air operation. (Why Goss?)

We hit their nuclear plants by air.

Iran strikes at Israel.

Iran blown off the map.
Parts of the U.S. and U.K. blown off the map.

Is that they want it.

And on a practical level, the U.S. gets out of Iraq by moving most of the troops over to Iran to save transport money back to the U.S.

The oil and water lines from the 'stans and the Himalyas will be nearly clear to Israel and the Mediterranean. It will only be Syrai and Lebanon.

Turkey (and possibly Lebanon) are the key to the Straight Path PNAC plan and the ownership decisions.

[Just Me]

8. I know FOR SURE we'd declare such activities an act of war.

x(