WarSclerotic

Oman Tribune – the edge of knowledge.

TEHERAN Iran deployed warplanes and missiles on Monday in an “exercise” to protect nuclear sites threatened by possible Israeli attacks and warned it could cut oil exports to more EU nations unless sanctions were lifted.

The European Union shrugged off the threat, saying it could cope with any halt in Iranian supplies.

Teheran’s stance marked a hardening of its defiance in an international standoff over its nuclear programme — and suggested it was readying for any eventual confrontation.

The moves were announced the same day as officials from the UN nuclear watchdog agency International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in Teheran for a second round of talks they said were focused on “the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme.”

Iran, while holding out hope of reviving collapsed negotiations with world powers, has underlined it will not give up its nuclear ambitions, which it insists are purely peaceful.

Much of the West and Israel, though, fear Iran’s activities include research for atomic weapons.

The US and Europe have ramped up economic sanctions against Iran’s vital oil sector, while Israel has fuelled speculation it could be on the brink of carrying out air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

On Sunday, US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon held a two-hour meeting in Occupied Jerusalem with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and held similar in-depth talks with Defence Minister Ehud Barak, whose “hawkish line” on Iran is worrying Washington, Haaretz newspaper reported on Monday.

Later this week, US intelligence chief James Clapper is also due to arrive, press reports said.

Barak has been “summoned” to Washington next week, media reports said, ahead of a visit by the premier himself on March 5.

“Israel is under pressure from all sides. The Americans don’t want to be surprised and faced with a fait accompli of an Israeli attack,” a senior Israeli official said, on condition of anonymity.

“They are telling us to be patient and see if the international sanctions against Teheran will eventually work,” he said.

In Baghdad, Iraqi planning minister Ali Al Shukri said it could lose more than half of its oil-exporting capability if neighbouring Iran shuts the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

This entry was posted on February 21, 2012 at 11:41 AM and is filed under Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.