For The First Time, Iran Confronts Israel On Nukes
(AP)Israel accused Iran of lying, while Tehran challenged the international community to send inspectors to probe of its arch-rival’s nuclear capabilities, in an unusually bitter and rare direct confrontation on Friday.
United Nations officials at a 148-nation meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna said they had no memory of the two rival nations ever engaging each other directly at previous meetings, and noted that development - and the unusually harsh tone of their statements - in part reflected Middle East tensions.
The exchange came after chief Iranian delegate Ali Asghar Soltanieh - like Arab delegates before him - said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had acknowledged earlier this year that his country possessed nuclear weapons - something that Israel says Olmert never did.
Soltanieh also criticized the “continuous silence of the U.S. … vis a vis the atrocities, aggression, bloodshed and violations of over 30 resolutions of the United Nations.”
That, he said, is “shameful and (a) dark point in the history of the United Nations, and the IAEA and the modern century at large.”
In turn, Israeli delegate Israel Michaeli alluded to claims that Olmert acknowledged Israel’s nuclear weapons, saying, some previous speakers continued to lie.
“Those who call for the elimination of Israel have no right to criticize Israeli policies aimed at defending Israel’s very existence,” said Michaeli.
Soltanieh in response challenged the IAEA to send its inspectors into the country to verify who is telling the truth.
The harsh Iranian and Arab words reflected frustration on their part after their efforts to formally submit a resolution to the conference on Israel Nuclear Capabilities and Threat was blocked by the EU, the United States and other Western nations.
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Soltanieh also criticized the “continuous silence of the U.S. … vis a vis the atrocities, aggression, bloodshed and violations of over 30 resolutions of the United Nations.”
Oh you mean like the 9,000 Muslim terrorist incidents since 9-11 around the world? You mean those “atrocities, aggression, bloodshed and violations”?
September 21st, 2007 at 2:44 pmHere’s a thought… Israel has had nukes since the 1980s probably, and no one can be sure because they have neither threatened to use them, nor admitted that they have them. Does anyone think that Iran or Syria will keep their weapons secret and maintain a low profile should they be so lucky as to get them?
September 21st, 2007 at 3:25 pm“Lookee, I see abigaone right over there..”
September 21st, 2007 at 4:09 pmTwice Golda Meir (67, 73) told the IDF to prepare to execute “The Samson Option”. That would be a first-use nuclear detonation against the enemies of Israel that would have also taken out Israel. The IDF has had nukes for quite some time and will use them if they have to. Iran and Syria will cease to exist if they do. Unfortunately, so will Israel and most of the ME.
September 21st, 2007 at 5:00 pm“Those who call for the elimination of Israel have no right to criticize Israeli policies aimed at defending Israel’s very existence,” said Michaeli.
This guy just hit the nail on its big fat head.
September 21st, 2007 at 6:06 pmI guess the Isrealis would rather take them with ‘em. I can’t blame them either, though I hope it never happens.
September 22nd, 2007 at 3:45 am