For 75 years much of the world has lived with Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). One has to ask why Israel is not willing to live with it. Iran is no more willing to be destroyed in a nuclear war than any other nation. The reason is of course that Israel is determined to dominate and intimidate other countries in the region at her will. And the United States supports Israel's regional hegemony.
Nuclear weapons are a risk to the future of mankind, but Israeli claims that Iran is a rogue state and cannot be trusted are utterly hypocritical. The last time Iran was a peaceful democratic state was just before her government was overthrown with British and Americans assistance in 1953. She has a right to be hostile to the West, and a right to support the Palestinians. If there is a rogue state it is Israel, the state responsible for the Palestinian Holocaust.
One of the antisemitic tropes is that Jewish people cannot be trusted because they have split loyalties. However, here we have the Jewish IAEA's Director General apparently colluding with Israel. Another example of possible split loyalties are the two senior Jewish journalists in the Middle Eastern division of the BBC who are accused of pro-Israeli bias. Not only do individuals have questionable loyalties, but, more powerful in their support of Israel are the Jewish groups in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and Europe . These groups, such as IAPAC have had profound effects on American politics; pushing the US to do the bidding of Netanyahu. In the UK Jewish groups have been responsible for the political assassination of Jeremy Corbyn and giving financial support to UK Cabinet Members. Were these people simply attempting to improve relations between their respective countries and Israel this would not be an issue in times of peace. Were Israel a nation that follows international law, this would not be an issue. Were Israel a country that had not brutally suppressed and dispossessed Palestinians, this would not be an issue. Were Israel not a country guilty of genocide, ethnic cleansing and other crimes against humanity, this would not be an issue. But Israel is a brutal, dangerous rogue state, and it is an issue. A sensitive issue, but nevertheless an important issue.
The UAE (Abu Dhabi ) has a very large nuclear power station built recently by the Koreans. Have you any knowledge where they get their nuclear fuel from?
There is talk that Saudi will also build one.
The US/Israel alliance seem hell-bent on making sure that Iran will have NO capacity for enriching urainium, even for a nuclear power plant.
By August 2012 ENEC had awarded six contracts related to the supply of natural uranium concentrates, conversion and enrichment services individually, and the purchase of some enriched uranium product. A spread of suppliers is involved for each stage of the front-end fuel cycle. The company estimates the contracts are worth some $3 billion and will enable the Barakah plant to generate up to 450 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity over a 15-year period.
The contracts involved Canada-based Uranium One, UK-based Rio Tinto, France's Areva, and Russia's Techsnabexport (Tenex) for supply of uranium concentrates. For conversion services, contracts utilise the USA's Converdyn, Tenex, and Areva. Enrichment will be by Europe-based Urenco, Areva, and Tenex. Areva said that its contract involved supply of enriched uranium worth some $500 million, and Tenex claimed to have secured half of the supply. ENEC "expects to return to the market at various times to take advantage of favorable market conditions and to strengthen its security of supply position."
In September 2017, a memorandum of understanding with the UK and Canada was signed with FANR for the cooperation and exchange of information in nuclear regulatory matters.
The enriched uranium will be supplied to Kepco Nuclear Fuels – part of the prime contractor consortium led by Kepco – which is manufacturing the fuel assemblies.
By the way it took just over 6 years to construct Barraka and it is twice the size of Hinkley Point 3. I used to work around there in the 80s building small desalination plants. The changes since then are mind-boggling.
I read this because we must discuss over the divide. There is no discussion of Israel's right to exist free of Iranian proxies' attempts to annihilate them as Jews and Israelis. Your assertion that the Iranian regime (not the people) was not intending to build a Bomb because there is no evidence that they had started seems innocent in the extreme. This is a regime that systematically arrests, tortures and murders awkward citizens especially women. It also misses few opportunities to state its intention of wiping out Israel. Kinda difficult to know where the compromise is in there. I therefore have great sympathy with the Israeli's choice of now is the time. Iranian regime has fewer effective proxies nearby and they have a weakened air defences.
War is always nasty and brutish and involves collateral casualties - 5 civies for every soldier is an average during WW2.
Like you however I remain skeptical about some of the claims made by the Americans and the Israelis.
I find it remarkable that you don't condemn the Zionist entity's genocide of the Palestinians or the fact that it won't allow IAEA inspections of its nuclear weapons facilities nor will it sign the NPT.
And it's not MY assertion that Iran wasn't building a bomb - but the IAEA's and the US intelligence community's.
Hi Leah. I will read that later on. There was no discussion of deaths of Palestinians so I didn't raise it as an issue. I think that would be a separate discussion.
Oh. That was quite marginal. I do want to at least outline the structure of the different ways we have of thinking about Iran. To me it is a repressive authoritarian theocracy run by Islamic fundamentalists who are happy to destroy the lives of millions of citizens and other throughout the Middle East in pursuit of religious goals. It is purifying Uranium way beyond what is needed for any peaceful use. And it scares me that they will soon have weapons that can deliver bombs across Europe. Like we need more nuclear powers?
And to me and many others (the ICJ, Amnesty International, the Center for Constitutional Rights (US), the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, South Africa, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Ireland, Spain, Libya, Maldives, Mexico, Nicaragua, Turkiye, and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad-Al-Thani who accused the Zionist entity of committing collective genocide in Gaza) the Zionist entity is genocidal, militaristic, and relentlessly expansionist, determined to subjugate by any means necessary any state or actor that dares to challenge it and stand up for those it is oppressing and murdering.
If you are really so frightened of Iran's intentions, why don't you advocate for Israel to give up its nuclear weapons, which it is using as a Damocles sword over the entire ME and Europe?
Ok Leah. There is a lot on which we could disagree. Can we try the opposite could you give me any ideas (that don't include comparison with Israel that we might agree upon? Here are a few of my attempt
1) Iran has a long and useful history that mean it remains a nation.
2) Iran's current regime is theocratic and authoritarian using state killing and other similar techniques to maintain it's rule
3) Iran is distrusted as an aggressor by many of its Arab neighbours.
4) Iran has lots of oil and gas.
5) Iran has the right to a peaceful nuclear programme.
Let's find out if we agree on anything and build from agreed ideas to define what we actually disagree about.
Over 60% of university students in Iran are women, and 70% of engineering students. Israel has murdered over a 100,000 women and girls (a highly conservative estimate, as around 500,000 people are either dead or unaccounted for since the Jewish State's genocide against Gaza commenced).
So, some proportions of girls are studying in Iran. That's good. Am I to take that as a demonstration that the Islamic republic is really fully committed to the feminist agenda? How would you be about needing a male's permission to travel? Or restrictions on showing your hair. With the real risk of dying in custody if you argue? I see the relationship described as "paradoxical and complicated". No, it's not! it's disgraceful.
I wonder if paradoxical is code for we'll let you off with a ton of discrimination and with also holding women back from participation in the economy. Just as long as you keep opposing Israel?
Iran has a rich culture and a long and significant history which I hope and expect could give it the ability to build democratic institutions with civil and religious liberty. And feminist rights too. Surely that would be a good thing?
The Iranians have always made it clear that if there is ever an agreement between the Palestinians and Israel on a 2-State solution they will agree to that situation.
Where have they made that clear please? They certainly want an end to a Jewish homeland which is now a fact on the ground. he says "I want Israel destroyed.". As authoritarian theocrat I find him very difficult to trust.
Remarkable research and very well written piece, Leah.
From a personal point of lack of knowledge, those horrific attacks on Iran just felt astounding, as in wtaf.
I never imagined the utilisation of such extreme force could be based on flimsy, disputable evidence.
You’ve described, by gathering factual information, the political manoeuvring which has taken place. And we wonder why World Wars happen……
Something is rotten in the state of the Western World.
For 75 years much of the world has lived with Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). One has to ask why Israel is not willing to live with it. Iran is no more willing to be destroyed in a nuclear war than any other nation. The reason is of course that Israel is determined to dominate and intimidate other countries in the region at her will. And the United States supports Israel's regional hegemony.
Nuclear weapons are a risk to the future of mankind, but Israeli claims that Iran is a rogue state and cannot be trusted are utterly hypocritical. The last time Iran was a peaceful democratic state was just before her government was overthrown with British and Americans assistance in 1953. She has a right to be hostile to the West, and a right to support the Palestinians. If there is a rogue state it is Israel, the state responsible for the Palestinian Holocaust.
One of the antisemitic tropes is that Jewish people cannot be trusted because they have split loyalties. However, here we have the Jewish IAEA's Director General apparently colluding with Israel. Another example of possible split loyalties are the two senior Jewish journalists in the Middle Eastern division of the BBC who are accused of pro-Israeli bias. Not only do individuals have questionable loyalties, but, more powerful in their support of Israel are the Jewish groups in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and Europe . These groups, such as IAPAC have had profound effects on American politics; pushing the US to do the bidding of Netanyahu. In the UK Jewish groups have been responsible for the political assassination of Jeremy Corbyn and giving financial support to UK Cabinet Members. Were these people simply attempting to improve relations between their respective countries and Israel this would not be an issue in times of peace. Were Israel a nation that follows international law, this would not be an issue. Were Israel a country that had not brutally suppressed and dispossessed Palestinians, this would not be an issue. Were Israel not a country guilty of genocide, ethnic cleansing and other crimes against humanity, this would not be an issue. But Israel is a brutal, dangerous rogue state, and it is an issue. A sensitive issue, but nevertheless an important issue.
Hi Leah
The UAE (Abu Dhabi ) has a very large nuclear power station built recently by the Koreans. Have you any knowledge where they get their nuclear fuel from?
There is talk that Saudi will also build one.
The US/Israel alliance seem hell-bent on making sure that Iran will have NO capacity for enriching urainium, even for a nuclear power plant.
I found the following from this website: https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-t-z/united-arab-emirates#Fuelcycle
Fuel cycle
By August 2012 ENEC had awarded six contracts related to the supply of natural uranium concentrates, conversion and enrichment services individually, and the purchase of some enriched uranium product. A spread of suppliers is involved for each stage of the front-end fuel cycle. The company estimates the contracts are worth some $3 billion and will enable the Barakah plant to generate up to 450 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity over a 15-year period.
The contracts involved Canada-based Uranium One, UK-based Rio Tinto, France's Areva, and Russia's Techsnabexport (Tenex) for supply of uranium concentrates. For conversion services, contracts utilise the USA's Converdyn, Tenex, and Areva. Enrichment will be by Europe-based Urenco, Areva, and Tenex. Areva said that its contract involved supply of enriched uranium worth some $500 million, and Tenex claimed to have secured half of the supply. ENEC "expects to return to the market at various times to take advantage of favorable market conditions and to strengthen its security of supply position."
In September 2017, a memorandum of understanding with the UK and Canada was signed with FANR for the cooperation and exchange of information in nuclear regulatory matters.
The enriched uranium will be supplied to Kepco Nuclear Fuels – part of the prime contractor consortium led by Kepco – which is manufacturing the fuel assemblies.
Thanks for that Leah. Quite complicated.
By the way it took just over 6 years to construct Barraka and it is twice the size of Hinkley Point 3. I used to work around there in the 80s building small desalination plants. The changes since then are mind-boggling.
I read this because we must discuss over the divide. There is no discussion of Israel's right to exist free of Iranian proxies' attempts to annihilate them as Jews and Israelis. Your assertion that the Iranian regime (not the people) was not intending to build a Bomb because there is no evidence that they had started seems innocent in the extreme. This is a regime that systematically arrests, tortures and murders awkward citizens especially women. It also misses few opportunities to state its intention of wiping out Israel. Kinda difficult to know where the compromise is in there. I therefore have great sympathy with the Israeli's choice of now is the time. Iranian regime has fewer effective proxies nearby and they have a weakened air defences.
War is always nasty and brutish and involves collateral casualties - 5 civies for every soldier is an average during WW2.
Like you however I remain skeptical about some of the claims made by the Americans and the Israelis.
I find it remarkable that you don't condemn the Zionist entity's genocide of the Palestinians or the fact that it won't allow IAEA inspections of its nuclear weapons facilities nor will it sign the NPT.
And it's not MY assertion that Iran wasn't building a bomb - but the IAEA's and the US intelligence community's.
I suggest you read this piece about Israel's plans, codenamed The Abraham Shield, to completely dominate the Middle East: https://ddgeopolitics.substack.com/p/the-abraham-shield-israels-new-blueprint?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1769298&post_id=166916215&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=2mqcm&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
Hi Leah. I will read that later on. There was no discussion of deaths of Palestinians so I didn't raise it as an issue. I think that would be a separate discussion.
I did raise it - "Palentir’s AI systems are utilised by the ZOF to target and murder Palestinians"
Oh. That was quite marginal. I do want to at least outline the structure of the different ways we have of thinking about Iran. To me it is a repressive authoritarian theocracy run by Islamic fundamentalists who are happy to destroy the lives of millions of citizens and other throughout the Middle East in pursuit of religious goals. It is purifying Uranium way beyond what is needed for any peaceful use. And it scares me that they will soon have weapons that can deliver bombs across Europe. Like we need more nuclear powers?
And to me and many others (the ICJ, Amnesty International, the Center for Constitutional Rights (US), the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, South Africa, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Ireland, Spain, Libya, Maldives, Mexico, Nicaragua, Turkiye, and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad-Al-Thani who accused the Zionist entity of committing collective genocide in Gaza) the Zionist entity is genocidal, militaristic, and relentlessly expansionist, determined to subjugate by any means necessary any state or actor that dares to challenge it and stand up for those it is oppressing and murdering.
If you are really so frightened of Iran's intentions, why don't you advocate for Israel to give up its nuclear weapons, which it is using as a Damocles sword over the entire ME and Europe?
Ok Leah. There is a lot on which we could disagree. Can we try the opposite could you give me any ideas (that don't include comparison with Israel that we might agree upon? Here are a few of my attempt
1) Iran has a long and useful history that mean it remains a nation.
2) Iran's current regime is theocratic and authoritarian using state killing and other similar techniques to maintain it's rule
3) Iran is distrusted as an aggressor by many of its Arab neighbours.
4) Iran has lots of oil and gas.
5) Iran has the right to a peaceful nuclear programme.
Let's find out if we agree on anything and build from agreed ideas to define what we actually disagree about.
Over 60% of university students in Iran are women, and 70% of engineering students. Israel has murdered over a 100,000 women and girls (a highly conservative estimate, as around 500,000 people are either dead or unaccounted for since the Jewish State's genocide against Gaza commenced).
So, some proportions of girls are studying in Iran. That's good. Am I to take that as a demonstration that the Islamic republic is really fully committed to the feminist agenda? How would you be about needing a male's permission to travel? Or restrictions on showing your hair. With the real risk of dying in custody if you argue? I see the relationship described as "paradoxical and complicated". No, it's not! it's disgraceful.
I wonder if paradoxical is code for we'll let you off with a ton of discrimination and with also holding women back from participation in the economy. Just as long as you keep opposing Israel?
Iran has a rich culture and a long and significant history which I hope and expect could give it the ability to build democratic institutions with civil and religious liberty. And feminist rights too. Surely that would be a good thing?
You're an idiot.
Oh.
The Iranians have always made it clear that if there is ever an agreement between the Palestinians and Israel on a 2-State solution they will agree to that situation.
It is not their intent to 'wipe-out' Israel.
Hi Nick,
Where have they made that clear please? They certainly want an end to a Jewish homeland which is now a fact on the ground. he says "I want Israel destroyed.". As authoritarian theocrat I find him very difficult to trust.