|
TEHRAN, Iran – Iran's Supreme Leader warned Sunday that any Israeli attack wouldbe answered with a "lightning" response by the Islamic Republic andsuggested Iran's nuclear program cannot be curtailed by Westernsanctions. The remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei echoed previous hard-linepositions by Iran, but take on added resonance amid talks with theU.S. and five other world powers. Western leaders hope for adiplomatic accord that would ease concerns about Iran's nuclearambitions, while Israeli officials say they leave all options opento try to derail Iran's uranium enrichment. The West fears Iran could one day produce weapons-grade material.Khamenei called the claims of a secret weapons program "lies" andrepeated Iran's statements that it only seeks reactors for energyand medical research. Khamenei put Israel on notice that any military action would bringswift consequences. "Should they take any wrong step, any inappropriate move, it willfall on their heads like lightning," he warned in a speech markingthe 23rd anniversary of the death of his predecessor, AyatollahRuhollah Khomeini, the leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Many military analysts say air strikes alone are unlikely toseriously set back Iran's uranium enrichment and could touch off awider conflict in the Gulf, which is the route for about one fifthof the world's oil. Instead, the U.S. and Europe have imposed tighter sanctionstargeting Iran's oil exports and its ability to conductinternational banking. "The obstacles enemies are creating in our path won't have anyeffect. Sanctions are ineffective. Sanctions can't stop the Iraniannation from moving forward," Khamenei said at Khomeini's mausoleumsouth of Tehran. "The only effect these unilateral and multilateral sanctions haveon the Iranian nation is that they deepen hatred and animositytoward the West in the heart of our people," he said. Iran has called for the West to roll back the sanctions as agoodwill gesture to move ahead the nuclear talks, which arescheduled to resume later this month in Moscow. In Baghdad last month, the six world powers — the U.N.Security Council permanent members plus Germany — demandedthat Iran stop its most sensitive uranium enrichment in return forincentives such as civilian plane spare parts. Iran's 20percent-level enrichment — the highest publicly acknowledged— worries Western leaders because it is far closer to weaponsgrade than the 3.5 percent enriched material needed forenergy-producing reactors. Iran uses the 20 percent for its medical research reactor forapplications such as cancer treatment. Iran has called for an overhaul of the latest proposals, saying itmay consider suspending 20 percent enrichment only if the Westcommits to lift recently toughened sanctions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on world powerslast week to push Tehran to stop all nuclear enrichment, removefrom its territory all material that has been enriched until nowand demolish the underground Fordo enrichment facility near thecity of Qom, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of Tehran. Israel views a nuclear Iran as an existential threat because of itsfrequent calls for Israel's destruction and support of anti-Israelgroups such as Lebanon's Hezbollah. Khamenei said Israel is now vulnerable than any other time withpro-U.S. regimes fallen in the Arab Spring, and claimed the U.S.and its allies are concentrating on the Iranian nuclear issue to"cover their own problems.". We are high quality suppliers, our products such as China Gift Packaging Boxes , Hardcover Book Printing for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Gift Packaging Boxes.
Related Articles -
China Gift Packaging Boxes, Hardcover Book Printing,
|
