Iranian Space Launch Condemned as Akin to Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

Could Iran’s latest missile launch help them hit the West with nuclear weapons? Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.

The recent Iranian launch of a space launch vehicle missile last Thursday received condemnation from the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—which is especially understandable given that the missile research is ultimately a threat to their nations. A statement from the four nations—which compromise two-thirds of the powerful P5+1 group of nations that reached a nuclear deal with Iran in 2015—linked the space missile launch to efforts to develop missiles that can travel across continents and potentially carry nuclear warheads.

The statement, published by the U.S. State Department, pointed to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231as calling upon Iran to “not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such technology like this launch. Space launch vehicles use technologies that are closely related to those of ballistic missiles development, in particular to those of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.”

The ominous linkage of the latest test to weapons of mass destruction was paralleled with a warning from the U.S. about Iran’s behavior. … Continue Reading

Trump May Release Secret Iran Docs; Iran Boasts Growing Missile Program

Will Trump expose the Iran deal to be even worse than already known? Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.

The Iran nuclear deal was criticized by incoming U.S. President Donald Trump as being “disastrous,” and in January he may be able to release non-publicized documents that could raise even more questions about the agreement. The Daily Beast reported this week that senior officials who will be in the incoming Trump administration are looking at Iran documents the Obama administration put in sensitive information facilities that effectively hid them from anyone without security clearance, despite the documents being unclassified.

Among those documents include secret exemptions for Iran’s nuclear materials, which while secret were reportedly discussed in a report by the Institute for Science and International Security in September. Details about the prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran and projections of the development of Iran’s nuclear program are also believed to be in the document list. Even some members of Obama’s own party have called for secret Iran documents to be publicized if there isn’t a legitimate reason to keep them hidden, reported The Weekly Standard. … Continue Reading

Expert Slams Nuke Deal as Iran Sets Up Air Defense System at Nuclear Site

Is Iran laying the military groundwork for a nuclear weapons program? Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.

Iran proudly announced on Monday that they have stationed the advanced Russian S-300 air defense missile system at their Fordow underground nuclear enrichment facility, which left one concerned expert arguing the move highlights the failure of the Iran nuclear deal. “So why exactly did Iran deploy S-300 around Fordow? Hmmm, must be b/c Iran’s nuc program is purely peaceful…” said Dr. Emily Landau via her Twitter feed. Dr. Landau, a Senior Research Fellow and the of the Head of Arms Control Program at The Institute for National Security Studies in Israel, has long critiqued the Iranian nuclear agreement reached between the Islamic Republic and the six major world powers last year.

The S-300 launch was promoted by an Iranian general on the Fars News Agency. Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli attempted to defend the location of the advanced S-300 because the nuclear program needs security as an important Iranian achievement. Yet the same Fars article cited analysts boasting that the Fordow facility is so well built under a mountain that it’s impenetrable already. … Continue Reading

Official Warns Iranian Ally North Korea May Be Able to Arm Nuclear Missiles

First North Korea – could Iran be next to achieve nuclear warheads? Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.

One of the most challenging steps to developing nuclear weapons is building a warhead capable of sitting atop a missile. North Korea—which already has boasted of multiple nuclear detonation tests—now is believed to have that elusive and dangerous capability. The New York Times cited a South Korean official as saying their communist neighbors to the north are thought to be able to mount a nuclear warhead on a medium range missile capable of hitting Japan.

Making this even more disturbing is that it comes mere weeks after reports that Iran is thought to be obtaining North Korean missile technology, as the two pariah states have long been friendly towards one another. The Korean official told The New York Times that North Korea was still multiple years away from being able to mount a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile capable of reaching the US, but that’s hardly a comforting timeline. … Continue Reading

Iranian Leader Says Calling for Talks without Missiles is ‘Treason’

Talks without missiles not an option for Iran. Illustrative official meeting. Photo Courtesy of UN Photo/Evan Schneider

The leader of Iran is willing to negotiate: just not with everyone, and not without continuing their controversial long-range missile tests. Ayatollah Khamenei, via his Twitter feed, went so far as to say that those who dismiss missiles could be traitors. Khamenei tweeted on Wednesday that those who say the new world is one of negotiations and not missiles, “if said unwarily, it’s unawareness; otherwise it’s treason.”

Khamenei went on to tweet that he does support talks, sometimes. “Islamic Republic must use all means. I support political talks in global issues, but not with everyone. Today is era of both missile & talk.” Iran has come under criticism from the US and elsewhere for conducting long-range missile tests in spite of UN resolutions addressing their aggressive activity. The US reiterated that while Iran has adhered to the letter of their nuclear agreement, the missile tests weren’t innocent. … Continue Reading

Iran Responds to US Sanctions by Threatening More Missile Tests

US issues sanctions, and Iran responds with threats. Illustrative – US Capitol Building. By Joshua Spurlock

The US recently issued more sanctions on Iranian entities with connections to Iran’s missile program after recent long-range missile tests by the Islamic Republic. Two days later, Iran responded: by threatening more missile tests. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was quoted by PressTV as saying on Saturday, “We will respond to recent US measures against Iran’s missile program by further boosting our missile power.”

Zarif recently took to Twitter to defend the missile tests, arguing that missiles are for self-defense and would have prevented attacks on Iranian civilians by Iraq in the 1980s war between the nations. But that wouldn’t explain why Iran’s own Fars News Agency reported that one of the latest missiles tested had written on it, in Hebrew, “Israel should be wiped off the Earth”. An analyst in Israel, meanwhile, believes that Israel could defend itself against Iran’s nuclear program if it comes to that. … Continue Reading