Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Iran warns Israel of 'lightning' reply to any attack
Source: The Guardian
Iran warns Israel of 'lightning' reply to any attack
Julian Borger
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 3 June 2012 15.29 BST
Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has threatened a "lightning response" to any Israeli attack and warned that sanctions would fail to curb his country's nuclear programme and only deepen its "hatred of the west".
The angry rhetoric is routine for Iran's clerical leadership but had particular significance as it came between rounds of negotiations between Tehran and the world's major powers over Iranian nuclear aspirations.
Western officials were hoping to hear conciliatory notes in the supreme leader's speech, delivered on the anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, which is often the occasion of policy announcements by the Tehran leadership.
Mildly positive language towards Barack Obama in a Khamenei speech delivered in March raised hopes for a diplomatic way out of the nuclear impasse, but with a third round of talks due in Moscow later this month, there was no encouragement for reconciliation in today's address.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Julian Borger
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 3 June 2012 15.29 BST
Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has threatened a "lightning response" to any Israeli attack and warned that sanctions would fail to curb his country's nuclear programme and only deepen its "hatred of the west".
The angry rhetoric is routine for Iran's clerical leadership but had particular significance as it came between rounds of negotiations between Tehran and the world's major powers over Iranian nuclear aspirations.
Western officials were hoping to hear conciliatory notes in the supreme leader's speech, delivered on the anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, which is often the occasion of policy announcements by the Tehran leadership.
Mildly positive language towards Barack Obama in a Khamenei speech delivered in March raised hopes for a diplomatic way out of the nuclear impasse, but with a third round of talks due in Moscow later this month, there was no encouragement for reconciliation in today's address.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/03/iran-supreme-leader-israel-attack
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
1- Iran has buried its enrichment sites. Strikes could slow the process, I suppose, but not suppress Iran's march toward nukes.
2- Khamenei has recently reiterated his determination to (quoting from memory) destroy the 'zionist entity' of Israel
1 + 2 = geopolitical nightmare. Not sure anyone has figured a solution yet. 