Iran’s nuclear missile threat: Perceived or Real?
A recent article published in the Roll Call newspaper sharply ratchets up the frenzy over Iran’s purported nuclear missile threat to make the case against looming cuts to the Pentagon’s budget. The author of the piece, retired Navy commander James Lyons, argues that the U.S. is vulnerable to an Iranian nuclear missile attack and urgently […]
Iran News Roundup: August 1, 2012
Netanyahu Challenges Credibility of US Threat Against Iran Speaking next to US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned, “Right now the Iranian regime believes that the international community does not have the will to stop its nuclear program.” Panetta responded by reiterating that “If they make the decision to […]
Iran News Roundup: July 31, 2012
Obama Authorizes New Iran Sanctions President Obama authorized new sanctions against banks that facilitate the sale of petrochemical products by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Naftiran Intertrade Company (NIC). Additionally, the President imposed sanctions on the Bank of Kunlun in China and Elaf Islamic Bank in Iraq for processing transactions for sanctioned Iranian […]
Iran News Roundup: July 30, 2012
Aide Says Romney Would Endorse Israeli Strike Speaking in Jerusalem, Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney said preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear capability is America’s “solemn duty and a moral imperative”. Romney’s aide, Dan Senor, previewed the speech for reporters, saying that “if Israel has to take action on its own, in order to stop Iran […]
Iran News Roundup: July 18, 2012
Netanyahu Blames Iran for Fatal Terrorist Attack in Bulgaria; Vows Retaliation Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran for a fatal terror attack in Bulgaria, saying “Iran is responsible for the terror attack in Bulgaria, we will have a strong response against Iranian terror.” Panetta: U.S. Would Hold Iran “Directly Responsible” for any Hormuz Disruption […]
Panetta Says It Would Take Iran 2-3 Years to Build Nuke
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta described how close he believes Iran is to building nuclear weapons in an in-depth interview that aired over the weekend on CBS’s “60 minutes.” “The consensus is that, if they decided to do it, it would probably take them about a year to be able to produce a bomb and then […]
Iran News Roundup 01/19
U.S. proposes a direct line of communication with Iran A a conservative Iranian lawmaker, Ali Motahari, claims that the U.S. has sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader proposing direct talks. The Obama administration has denied the claim. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast claims that the proposal for direct talks was embedded in the U.S. […]
Iran News Roundup 01/09
Defense Secretary Panetta: Iran seeking nuclear latency, not nuclear weapon Defense Secretary Leon Panetta appeared on Face the Nation and said of Iran, “Are they trying to develop a nuclear weapon? No. But we know that they’re trying to develop a nuclear capability. And that’s what concerns us. And our red line to Iran is […]
Iran News Roundup 11/18
Central Bank sanctions being pushed by Congress Minority Senate leader Mitch McConnell introduced legislation on behalf of Sen. Mark Kirk that would sanction the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) in an attempt to “collapse” the Iranian economy (The Hill 11/17). In the House, a letter with bipartisan support, signed by House leadership and Foreign Affairs […]