Hackett on Iran
August 10, 2004 :: Washington Times :: Analysis
In June, 1981, Israeli jets crossed into Iraq airspace and destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor, before it could come online. Iran has since replaced Iraq as Israel’s chief threat, and has nearly completed work on its own nuclear reactor, with significant help from Russia. The time is now right for a preemptive strike against Iran, notes James Hackett writing in the Washington Times. (Article, Link)
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U.S. Official: Iran Acting as Proxy to Test North Korean Missiles
August 6, 2004 :: AP :: News
An unnamed U.S. administration official was quoted by the Associated Press as stating on August 5 that North Korea has been using Iran as a proxy to circumvent a supposed self-imposed moratorium on missile testing. The comment comes days after heavy press attention to reports of North Korea’s deploying two new missile systems.
The report also repeats an earlier, similar, story from May, that Iran was supplying North Korea with testing data. (Article, Link)
» May 28, 2004: North Korean moratorium meaningless, if Iran sharing test data
» August 3, 2004: North Korea deploying two versions of new missile
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Iran Deploying Missiles Near Iraq Border
June 17, 2004 :: Geostrategy-Direct :: News
Iran is currently deploying guerrillas, suicide bombers, and “missiles” near the Iran-Iraq border, reports Geostrategy Direct, but the type and capabilities of the missiles are not specified. Hassan Abbasi, director of the Center for Doctrinal Studies, is quoted as saying that the missiles are targeting some 29 American and western targets. Geostrategy Direct quotes Abbasi further, saying: “Our missiles are now ready to hit their civilization…As soon as we receive the orders from the leader, we will launch the missiles toward their cities and installations.” (Article, Link)
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North Korean Missile Moratorium Meaningless, if Iran Sharing Test Data
May 28, 2004 :: Kyodo :: News
On May 22, North Korea’s Kim Jong Il pledged to Japan that the communist country would maintain a moratorium on its ballistic missile tests, but a report by the Japanese Kyodo news service calls such a pledge into question, quoting a U.S. administration official saying that Iran is supplying test data from missile tests within its borders to North Korea, perhaps in exchange for nuclear technology. The unnamed official is quoted as saying that, “We’ve been concerned that maybe the Iranians are sharing data about their test with North Korea, perhaps in exchange for nuclear technology,” adding that a moratorium “isn’t very significant” if North Korea is getting Iranian missile test data. North Korea could be using data from Iranian tests to advance its own long range missile programs.
The fact that North Korea recently reported it would offer for sale its longest range missile, the Taepo-Dong II, and that Iran is a likely client, could also well indicate collusion to circumvent testing on the Korean peninsula. North Korea could sell The Taepo-Dong II to Iran and use the location as a vicarious testing ground, all the while being able to claim a moratorium of its own.
The Wall Street Journal reports on May 28 that Iran sent a response to the Kyodo news service denying that they were sharing test data. (Article, Link)
» May 28, 2004: Iran denies any military cooperation with North Korea
» Japan: Missile Testing would violate aid agreement
» Japanese Defense Chief: unable to verify that North Korean missiles not targeting Japan
» May 22, 2004: Kim: North Korea will maintain missile moratorium:
» More stories on: Iran, North Korea, Testing - Foreign
IISS: Iraq a Distraction from Larger Strategic Threats
May 27, 2004 :: Analysis
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank thoughtfully suggests in a recent report that the war in Iraq has overly preoccupied the United States, serving as a distraction to the more strategic threats from the weapons of mass destruction and missiles of Iran and North Korea.
IISS reports that the US had given primary responsibility for Iran to the European Union, and for North Korea to China—neither of which, one may speculate, necessarily has the best interests of the United States in mind—and that, as one might expect, neither of the two countries has chosen to follow Libya’s lead: “Instead, Teheran appears to be taking a harder line, perhaps believing that the U.S. is sidelined by Iraq and the presidential elections and that the Europeans are reluctant to press for sanctions in the Security Council.” A glance at recent news may well suggest that the same is true of North Korea. (Article, Link)
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Extensive Iranian Presence in Libya, Extensive Missile Development, Contracts
May 25, 2004 :: Middle East Newsline :: News
Middle East Newsline cites intelligence sources revealing an extensive Iranian presence in Libya, which included the development of missiles, and both conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Some 100 military contracts are said to have existed, and there is apparently an Iranian-built plant in Libya to produce liquid fuel for Libyan missiles.
Said one source: “The United States found evidence of Iranian involvement in virtually every major Libyan weapons program.” One may surmise that Iran was not completely oblivious to Libya’s nuclear program, the uranium for which was recently revealed by the New York Times to be of North Korean origin. There seems little reason to believe that North Korea would be opposed to aiding Iran’s own nuclear programs as well. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran, Libya, Proliferation
Iran Could Test ICBMs by 2005
May 20, 2004 :: Middle East Newsline :: News
Middle East Newsline reports that U.S. intelligence officials believe that Iran could begin testing components of intercontinental ballistic missile in 2005, likely from the Shahab missile family.
“During 2003, Iran continued R&D in its longer-range ballistic missile programs, and publicly reiterated its intention to develop space launch vehicles — and SLVs contain most of the key building blocks for an ICBM,” CIA director George Tenet told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Feb. 24. “Iran could begin flight-testing these systems in the mid- to latter-part of the decade.” (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Shahab-5, Shahab-6
Messing and Keller: China’s Ulterior Motives for Covert Proliferation
May 18, 2004 :: Washington Times :: Analysis
F. Andy Messing Jr. and James A. Kellar of the National Defense Council Foundation write in today’s Washington Times of the palpable technological transfers from China to Pakistan, North Korea, and elsewhere, of which the most important are their joint nuclear and ballistic missile efforts. In doing so, they reinforce a point often made here about the real sources of proliferation: that upstart rogue state WMD and missile programs are not operating in a vacuum, but rather have received considerable support from Russia and China.
Pakistan, Iran and North Korea are all pursuing WMD capability. However, to address these countries alone is inadequate. It is akin to fighting a war on drugs by only pursuing the street corner dealer and neglecting Colombia.
(More »»»)
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Bolton: Russia, China, Iran Violating Non-Proliferation Treaty
April 27, 2004 :: News
Speaking to the annual meeting of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty at the United Nations, Undersecretary of State John Bolton warned of a “crisis of noncompliance” by Russia, China, and Iran. Addressing the meeting of NPT signatories, he said that
The time for business as usual is over. An irresponsible handful of nations not living up to their treaty commitments are undermining the NPT’s mission. Without full compliance by all NPT members, confidence in the NPT as a nonproliferation instrument erodes.
Bolton emphasized the danger posed from Iran’s own nuclear weapon’s program, which the country continues to disavow: “It is clear that the primary role of Iran’s ‘nuclear power’ program is to serve as a cover and a pretext for the import of nuclear technology and expertise that can be used to support nuclear weapons development…Iran is lying.” “If we permit Iran’s deception to go on much longer, it will be too late,” Bolton said; “Iran will have nuclear weapons.”
Russia has played a key role in aiding in the production of Iran’s nuclear “energy” programs.
Last week, Bush said that the development of a nuclear weapon by Iran would be “intolerable.” (Article, Link)
» Bolton: Iran is lying
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Iran Seeks Cruise Missile to Overcome U.S. Missile Defenses
March 11, 2004 :: Geostrategy-Direct :: News
Geostrategy-direct quotes U.S. officials as saying that in addition to its ballistic missile capabilities Iran is also developing a cruise missile designed to overcome potential defenses, such as the Patriot missile. The missile with a range of 300km and based on the Chinese HY-2, would be part of a multi-layered force to supplement such ballistic missiles as the Shahab 3 and Shahab 4. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran, Proliferation
