Khamenei: Iran won't stop nuke enrichment

[sabra]

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/international/index.ssf?/base/international-25/1124464517281250.xml&storylist=international

Khamenei: Iran won't stop nuke enrichment

The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran does not intend to build nuclear weapons, but it will continue to enrich uranium because it does not want to be dependent on others for its nuclear fuel needs, the country's supreme ruler said Friday.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told tens of thousands of worshippers at Tehran University that Western allegations his country is secretly trying to make weapons are "a propaganda trick to deceive their own public opinion."

"They (the West) speak as if Iran is seeking nuclear weapons and they oppose it," said Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters. "I've said it repeatedly that we are not seeking nuclear weapons."

...

Khamenei said Iran's next step will be to build nuclear power plants without outside help. Russia currently is putting the finishing touches on a new nuclear power plant in Bushehr on the shores of the Persian Gulf in southern Iran. It is expected to be operational by August 2006.

[wli]

1. honest assessments of the US govt. from Iran?

Not as if they'll be taken seriously.

[bamacrat]

2. Next stop on the Bushco terrorism tour : Iran

[killbotfactory]

3. If I were Iran, I would want nukes

Considering what happened to their neighbor after they disarmed.

[Tempest]

4. If North Korea proved one thing to the world

It's that nukes keep the neo-con hounds at bay.

[lonestarnot]

5. Yes they did didn't they....

[StrafingMoose]

6. Actually it gives the neocons propaganda points

[Tempest]

7. Points no one is buying

Not after the Iraq war lies were exposed.

And not even in their own party.



Republican Party foreign policy expert Sen. Chuck Hagel is calling for the United States to open talks with Iran's new president and has dismissed President George W. Bush's talk of a military option against Tehran as an empty and foolish threat.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N19384298.htm

[Megahurtz]

8. That's For Sure. n/t

[David__77]

9. That is a good decision.

Iran should follow north Korea's lead and withdraw from the "non-proliferation treaty" as well, if the Western powers don't back off immediately. China will support Iran's sovereign decisions at the UN.