Text 22388, 185 rader
Skriven 2006-01-13 23:22:00 av SHANNON TALLEY (1:275/311)
     Kommentar till en text av PAUL SANDERS
Ärende: Editor's censorship
===========================
Paul,

PS>Where has Iran stated that they want nuclear weapons ?

Where have you been?!

This is just the beginning:

A July 2005, 55pg intelligence assessment was written based on material
gathered 
by British, French, German and Belgian agencies, and has been used to brief 
European government ministers and to warn leading industrialists of the need
for 
vigilance when exporting equipment or expertise to Iran.

It states that Syria and Pakistan have also been buying technology and
chemicals 
needed to develop rocket programs and to enrich uranium. It outlines the role 
played by Russia in the escalating Middle East arms build-up, and examines the 
part that dozens of Chinese front companies have played in North Korea's
nuclear 
weapons program.

Governments have been dismayed by recent pronouncements from the Iranian 
president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has said that Holocaust denial is a 
"scientific debate" and that Israel should be "wiped off the map".

The assessment declares that Iran has developed an extensive web of front 
companies, official bodies, academic institutes and middlemen dedicated to 
obtaining - in western Europe and in the former Soviet Union - the expertise, 
training, and equipment for nuclear programmes, missile development, and 
biological and chemical weapons arsenals.

A short chronology of some of the events leading up to 'today'

2 February 2005
Ukrainian Parliament Member Hrihory Omelchenko has called for an investigation 
into the sale of purported nuclear capable cruise missile to Iran and China.
––“Cruise Missiles Sold to Iran and China,ö The Independent, 3 February 2005.

2 February 2005 
Ukrainian Parliament member Hrihory Omelchenko claims that 12 Kh-55 [U.S. 
nomenclature is AS-15] air-to-ground missiles were exported between 1999 and 
2001, half to Iran and half to China. These cruise missiles boast a highly 
accurate guidance system and a range of up to 3,000 km, putting Israel within 
striking distance of Iran. A former Ukrainian secret police (SBU) officer, 
Omelchenko says the SBU prevented an attempt to export 14 KH-55s last year and 
accused former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma of covering up the illicit
arms 
sale. 
--Tom Warner, "Ukraine 'Sold Cruise Missiles to Iran, China'," Financial Times,

3 February 2005

Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Stephen Rademaker has testified 
that China continues "unacceptable proliferant activity" - of particular
concern 
are "transfers of CBW and missile-related technology" to Iran, despite 
sanctions. Q.C. Chen and Norinco have been identified as key suppliers, to 
include dual-use components, raw materials and expertise for Iran's solid-fuel 
missile program, and dual-use technology. 
--"U.S. Catches China Transferring WMD Tech to Iran," World Tribune.com, 15 
March 2005. 

17 March 2005 
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office states that 18 Kh-55 missiles were 
smuggled to Iran and China during the Kuchma administration. The probe into the

illegal sales has resulted in the indictment or arrest of at least six arms 
dealers. Member of Parliament Omelchenko asserts that a Russian, Oleg Orlov,
and 
a Ukrainian known as E.V. Shilenko arranged the deal in 2000 by using a "fake 
contract and end-user certificate" and exported the missiles through Russia's 
national arms dealer and an arm of Ukraine's weapons exporting agency, 
UkrSpetsEksport. President Yushchenko has called for an investigation into the 
matter. 
--"U.S. Catches China Transferring WMD Tech to Iran," World Tribune.com, 18 
March 2005. 

31 March 2005 
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko confirms that Iran acquired 
nuclear-capable missiles from Ukraine under the previous administration. He
adds 
that the missiles were delivered unarmed using a forged contract listing Russia

as the final destination. Oleksandr Turchinov, Ukraine's top security official,

says that the investigation into the affair is complete and that the court is
to 
announce its ruling "in a few days." 
--"Report: Iran Has Bought Nuclear-Capable Missiles From Ukraine," Haaretz, 1 
April 2005; "Security Chief Says Missile Smuggling Case Solved," Kyiv Post, 1 
April 2005. 

6 April 2005 
A Washington Times report reveals that Iran paid $49.5 million for the six
Kh-55 
missiles it received in an air shipment from Ukraine between May and June 2001.

The shipments had been misleadingly identified as oil-pipeline material. 
--Bill Gertz, "Missiles Sold to China and Iran," Washington Times, 6 April
2005. 

25 April 2005 
German customs investigations into the export of a highly specialized crane to 
Iran indicate that the crane was "probably intended for a highly controversial 
Iranian missile program." The mobile crane was ordered last year by Mizan, an 
Iranian firm, at a cost of 600,000 euros. The order was ship-loaded on 7 April 
and is on its way to Tehran. The crane is produced in Germany by the Liebherr 
company; it has a load-bearing capacity of 100 metric tons and lifts as high as

72 meters. 
--Holger Stark, "German Crane Bound for Iran Intended for Missile Program," Der

Spiegel, 25 April 2005, p. 47. 

28 April 2005 
Export chief of the German company Tira is arrested for reportedly providing 
Iran with vibration test machines to test missile turbines. 
--"More on German Company Reportedly Delivering High-Tech Products to Iran," 
Munich Focus, 2 May 2005, pg 13, in FBIS Document EUP20050503085013. 

5 May 2005 
Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani has stated that Iran's Shahab-3 missiles are 
comprised entirely of local parts and are of Iranian design, and that
production 
is ongoing. 
--"Iran Says Shahab-3 Missile Entirely Iranian," Agence France-Presse, 5 May 
2005.

20 May 2005 
Iranian exile Allreza Jafarzadeth says Iran's Defense Ministry is smuggling 
graphite and graphite compounds, such as ceramic matrix composite (CMC). CMC
can 
be used to encase a nuclear warhead and manufacture missile warheads. Mr. 
Jafarzadeth added that a purported steel manufacturing plant near Ardekan is 
actually a graphite technology plant. Although CMC is a dual-use item, 
international trading of CMC is prohibited for use in nuclear weapons under the

Missile Technology Control Regime. 
--Tyler Marshall and Sonni Efron, "Iran Said to Smuggle Material for Warheads,"

Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2005; "Iran Reportedly Smuggling Nuclear-Related 
Materials," Global Security Newswire, 23 May 05. 

31 May 2005 
U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher says the United States and its 
allies have successfully intercepted 11 shipments of nuclear materials destined

for Iran and North Korea in the past nine months. "I've cited several cases 
involving countries of proliferation concern, including Iran," Mr. Boucher
adds. 
"PSI [Proliferation Security Initiative] partners, working at times with
others, 
have prevented Iran from procuring goods to support its missile and WMD
[weapons 
of mass destruction] programs, including its nuclear program," U.S. Secretary
of 
State Condoleezza Rice says in a speech marking the second anniversary of the 
PSI. 
-- "U.S. Says it Intercepted Nuclear Material for North Korea, Iran,"
Bloomberg, 
1 June 2005; "ROK's Yonhap: U.S. Intercepts Nuclear, Chemical Materials to N. 
Korea," Yonhap News Agency, 1 June 2005, in FBIS Document KPP20050601000029. 


30 August 2005 
Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najar says Iran's main military 
objectives are the development of its air defenses and ballistic missiles, 
therefore Iran will continue expanding its missile industry to meet the needs
of 
the military. "One of the major projects pursued by this ministry concerns the 
manufacturing of deterrent weapons, and the manufacturing of Shahab-3 Missile
is 
in this connection, and this will not be halted." Najar adds. 
"Iran Defense Minister: Non-Peaceful use of Nuke Technology Religiously 
Forbidden," Mehr, 30 August 2005, in FBIS Document IAP20050830011035; "Iran's 
new Defense Minister Reiterates Right to Nuclear, Missile Technology," Iranian 
Student News Agency, 30 August 2005, in FBIS Document IAP20050830011034.



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