IAEA report validates a potential military intervention

• Iranian Army Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian army Massoud Jazayeri, warned that his country would destroy Israel in the event of an attack and that the military response would not be confined to the Middle East area

The report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sets the framework for the passing of strict measures of the UN against Iran, without excluding the possibility of a military intervention. The AIEA claims that it has proof about the military nature of the Iranian nuclear program. "The agency has serious reasons for concern about the military dimensions of Iran"s nuclear program", the AIEA report, quoted by the AFP, states. It is alleged that prior to 2003, these activities took place as part of a structured program and that some of the activities may still be ongoing. According to the report, "Iran conducted activities for the manufacturing of a nuclear explosive device". Presenting thousands of documents and satellite photos, the agency said that Iran is taking steps towards developing the nuclear bomb. Another activity mentioned in the report is the acquisition of information and documentation on the development of atomic weapons from an illegal faction.

"The new IAEA report seriously aggravates the current concerns over the nature of the Iranian nuclear program because it specifically emphasizes the information corroborated by the AIEA concerning a potential military dimension of the Iranian nuclear program", said Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson of the chief of democracy of the European Union Catherine Ashton. The AIEA report is based on "coherent and credible information", she said. The document will be discussed at the reunion of the Board of the Governors of the AIEA of November 17th-18th, and the United States of America warned that they would further pressure Iran and would request further sanctions after the conclusions of the report. Teheran"s response didn"t take long to arrive, as president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, in TV speech broadcasted live, that: " This nation won't retreat one iota from the path it is going on. We do not need the atomic bomb. The Iranian nation is wise. It won't build two bombs against 20,000 (nuclear) bombs you have." Ahmadinejad, who traveled to central Iran, accused the heads of the IAEA of "sacrificing the reputation of the Agency when they opted to report invalid statements of the USA". Iranian Army Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian army Massoud Jazayeri, warned that his country would destroy Israel in the event of an attack and that the military response would not be confined to the Middle East area. About two years ago, another report claimed that Iran owned two tons of enriched uranium, enough to make two nuclear warheads, hence the statement by president Ahmadinejad.

French foreign minister Alain Juppé said on the RFI that the notification of the UN Security Council is needed in such an unacceptable situation: "If Iran refuses to conform to the demands of the international community and refuses any form of serious cooperation, we are ready to enact unprecedented sanctions. The elements of IAEA report concerning military activities leave no room for doubt on Iran"s intentions. All of this means that Iran has tried and continues to attempt to develop atomic arms under the guise of a peaceful civil program. We need harsh sanctions that would prevent Iran from obtaining the activities which violate all the activities which violate the international norms".

The Iranian foreign affairs minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, rejected any accusation, claiming that the UN agency, which has been investigating the matter for about eight years had "no serious evidence " and that it was relying on old data, including forged documents "fabricated by Washington", to which it had answered in a detailed manner several years ago.