|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
US-Led Invasions Empowered
Iran
Iraq Talks Scheduled
|
|
Zalmay Khalilzad
|
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2--The US ambassador to the United Nations said on Friday Iran is stronger today because of the US-led invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003.
“It’s helped Iran’s relative position in the region, because Iraq was a rival of Iran, and the balance there against Iran--and the balance there has disintegrated or weakened,“ Zalmay Khalilzad said while answering questions from students at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, AP reported.
“And so one of the objectives of Iran, in my view, is to discourage a reemergence of Iraq as a balancer. And Afghanistan, too, the change was helpful to Iran.“
But to Khalilzad, there is no question that an unintended consequence of US decisions in Afghanistan and Iraq has been to strengthen Tehran’s position in the Mideast.
“I, as you know, have met with the Iranians many times over the years in my various positions, including in Afghanistan,“ he told the students after delivering a speech on the paramount global importance of solving the problems of Middle Eastern politics.
“And I used to tease the (Iranian) ambassador that we have done so much for you in Iraq and Afghanistan, the least you can do is to be helpful to this effort. Otherwise, one day you will get a big bill.“
Whether or not Iran’s power has increased in the region due to US decisions, the country has been playing a greater role in Iraq’s economy, supplying Iraqis with electricity, household goods and food. Iraqi leaders from the Shiite bloc that are now in power have said their ties with Iran’s Shiite government will grow.
Khalilzad also said that Iran has the “right to have access for nuclear energy“, and the United States is willing to work with Iran and other nations to assure they have “reliable access to fuel for nuclear reactors“.
Meanwhile, the United States is due to have new security talks with Iran next week in Baghdad, Iraq, the Associated Press quoted US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker as reporting on Friday.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Crocker claimed that Iran continues to play a negative role in Iraq.
But the US envoy noted that he remains open to renewing a three-way security dialogue with Iranian and Iraqi officials.
The new tripartite meeting could happen in “the next week or so“, Crocker said. “The Iranians may be ready to come back to the table and if they are, we’ll be there.“
The United States, which has no diplomatic relations with Iran since 1980, has offered to hold wide-ranging talks with Iran if Tehran first ceases its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities.
|
|
|
|
Western Resolution
Hits Snag at UN
|
|
A view of the UN Security Council in New York
|
WASHINGTON,
Feb. 2--Several non-permanent UN Security Council members are holding up agreement on a new sanctions resolution against Iran over its nuclear program, said France’s envoy to the United States on Friday.
Ministers from the five permanent members of the Security Council--the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain--as well as Germany agreed on the draft text of a new resolution last week in Berlin.
That draft, a watered down version of what Washington wanted because of resistance by China and Russia, has now been circulated to the entire 15-member Security Council in New York before going to a vote, Reuters reported.
“This is not easy. We are still having some difficulties with some of the (UN Security Council) members but we are trying to reach an agreement on the new resolution,“ said France’s Ambassador to the United States, Pierre Vimont.
“This may take some time,“ he added at a conference on Iran hosted by the Middle East Institute, a Washington think-tank. “There is more work to be done.“
Iran says its nuclear program is for civilian energy use while the West accuses it of trying to build an atom bomb.
Vimont did not mention countries by name but non-permanent council member South Africa has voiced discomfort over moving ahead fast on the resolution and Libya, Indonesia and Vietnam are also seen as spoilers.
But Vimont said several Security Council members wanted to give the UN’s atomic watchdog agency more time to negotiate with Iran before taking further punitive measures.
The International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to deliver a report at the end of February or early March after talks with Iran over its nuclear work, which has prompted calls for the council to hold off on the resolution.
International support for further sanctions has also been dampened by a US intelligence estimate last December, which concluded Iran had no nuclear weapons program.
|
|
|
|
4 Defense Projects Inaugurated
ISFAHAN, Feb. 2--Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar inaugurated four major research projects in the city of Shahin-Shahr, in the central province of Isfahan, on Saturday.
The projects included manufacture of waterproof glasses with nanotechnology, production of Wankel engines for unmanned planes, production of anti-tartar shields and designing new processing systems, IRNA reported.
These projects were implemented by experts of Malek Ashtar University affiliated to the Defense Ministry in Shahin-Shahr, 20 km in northern Isfahan.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the minister said launching such major research projects is a proof of the capability of Iranian experts.
|
|
|
|
Disqualified Candidates May Return
TEHRAN, Feb. 2--Guardians Council Spokesman Abbasali Kadkhodaei said if a candidate has been disqualified by executive bodies only because of his political tendency, the council will reverse the decision.
Talking to reporters in a press conference on Saturday, Kadkhodaei noted that if some mistakes have occurred in vetting the qualification of parliamentary election candidates, the Guardians Council will inspect them, Mehr News Agency reported.
Referring to the timetable of the next Majlis election, he said, “The provincial election supervisory boards will announce the results after vetting the disqualified candidates who appealed against the executive bodies’ decision soon.“
The spokesman noted that the Guardians Council will examine the cases of disqualified candidates if they appeal again over the decision of supervisory boards and will announce the result via the Interior Ministry till Feb. 21.
Kadkhodaei also said that according to the State Expediency Council’s enactment, the disqualified candidates can appeal against the Guardians Council’s decision from Feb. 22 to 24 and the council will review their cases again and announce the results by March 4.
Referring to the midterm election of Experts Assembly, which will be held simultaneously with the eighth Majlis election on March 14, Kadkhodaei stated that some 44 nominees have registered for the midterm elections and the qualifications of 21 of them have been confirmed.
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Affairs
SIASAT-E ROUZ: Becoming a lawmaker means accepting a heavy social responsibility of representing people in the parliament. Some opportunists always meet lawmakers and try to coax them to do what is illegal. Therefore, unless he/she has the will and capacity to avoid engaging in affairs incompatible with their legal status and social responsibility, they should not vie for the parliamentary post. It is worth recalling that irrespective of the lawmakers’ position on a piece of legislation passed in the chamber, voters hold them responsible for what eventually becomes law. Hence, those who seek public office should, among other things, also be ready to face their constituencies’ opposition and protests. Moreover, electoral candidates should avoid giving promises to do things that are both humanly and economically impossible. In fact, the parliament should only deal with passing legislation, because the government is in charge of executive affairs.
Explanation
HAMSHAHRI: Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf has reportedly met with Israel’s war minister and some anti-Iran opposition groups in Paris. Efforts of the Pak government in the past two years to forge ties with Israelis have angered Muslims. Meeting a top Israeli official, amid the hardship heaped upon the Palestinians by the Zionist Israeli regime in Gaza, is unacceptable and condemned by Muslims. As a Muslim nation, Pakistan has no political and official relations with the Zionist regime. And more than 160 million Pakistanis consider Israel and the United States as their enemies. Notwithstanding these facts, some Pak officials have maintained close ties with Israel in recent years. President Musharraf should provide a clear explanation of Pakistan’s stance in this regard.
Cooperation
IRAN: The recent visit by Iran’s Parliament Speaker Gholamali Haddad Adel to Egypt can mark the resumption of cordial diplomatic relations between the two Muslim nations. Haddad’s trip to Egypt is the first official trip by a high-ranking Iranian official. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier expressed his readiness to open Iran’s Embassy in Cairo in less than a day and resume full diplomatic relations, if Egypt were to indicate its affirmation. In the history of Tehran-Cairo relations, inclination or disinclination toward the Zionist regime of Israel has led to the disruption of ties. Both sides at different junctures have accused each other of inclining toward Israel. However, at present, the heads of the two states have expressed their readiness to upgrade the level of bilateral diplomatic cooperation. Optimism of the two sides and mutual confidence can help boost ties and cooperation.ΚΚΚΚ
Difficult
HEZBOLLAH: It might not be an exaggeration if one terms the last two months as one of the most difficult in the tenure of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki for facing tough trials and challenges. First of all, increasing the security of Shiite holy sites, particularly in Karbala, is of prime importance during the ongoing mourning ceremonies held for commemorating the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS). Maliki has done his best to prevent terrorist attacks on the Shiite holy sites by forming a taskforce to secure these sites, which means confronting Al-Qaeda terrorists and US mercenaries. On the whole, the Maliki administration has had an acceptable performance in securing different provinces before the onset of the holy month of Muharram. Secondly, the Iraqi premier overcame the hurdle of forming an Iraqi unity government of rival political parties. The formation of a coalition government of Shiite and Sunni political parties in the past several weeks is a significant development. Maliki is currently working on bringing back the Iraqi political parties that left the Cabinet. Last but not the least is the presence of US troops in Iraq. As US President George W. Bush had said, America intends to remain in Iraq for the next century. Hence, Washington will do its best to remain in Iraq by hatching plots against the Iraqi government and it will be a Herculean task to defuse these plots.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
