Tag Archives: Iran - Page 2

Russia developing counter-measures for European anti-missile shield – UPI.com

Posted by on May 28, 2013 Comments Off

Asked if that meant that a future U.S.-NATO anti-missile shield would be “neutralized” if a nation such as Iran launched a nuclear missile at Europe, Antonov said it would be difficult to speculate on such a scenario.

“Well, first, the Iranians do not have such missiles and when they will have them nobody will know,” he said. “And by the way, the last-minute decision by the Americans to suspend the implementation of the fourth stage suggests Washington recognizes that the Iranians in the short term have no such missiles and will not have such missiles.”

The Russian official asserted that by “electing Iran” as the enemy of Europe, “the Americans are trying to realize their missile defense plans, which, in fact, won’t defend Europe and create a problem for the Russian-American and Russian-NATO relations.”

Russia developing counter-measures for European anti-missile shield – UPI.com

If Iran launched a nuclear missile at Europe, then potentially Russia could neutralize the European missile defenses so the Iranian missile could not be stopped. This is really a bizarre scenario. Effectively, Russia would be joining Iran in war against Europe.

Doesn’t this really just mean that Russia considers NATO and the US an enemy?

Syrian Civil War Turns Proxy War With Military Mobilization – Analysis Eurasia Review

Posted by on May 22, 2013 Comments Off

As Russia’s warships, weapon systems and arms continue to flow into Syria, Israel is not about to let Russia, Hezbollah and Iran tip the balance of power in the favor of its border enemy. Israel is one of the key players in the region that has attempted to remain quiet and let NATO handle much of the Syrian Civil War from Turkey without getting the publicity itself. Because of this, it has primarily been concerned with a defensive posture so far and the prevention in terms of restricting arms shipments to Hezbollah. But this is changing as Russia steams its way over with greater force and the US fails to play a counter-Syrian role.

Has Russia beaten the US with a decisive direct military engagement? Not yet. But all parties, whether foreign or of Syrian national origin, appear to be increasing their involvement and intensity with Syria’s dirty war.

Syrian Civil War Turns Proxy War With Military Mobilization – Analysis Eurasia Review

Hezbollah forces mass on Israel’s northern border | Washington Free Beacon

Posted by on May 21, 2013 Comments Off

Iran and its terror proxy Hezbollah are building a military force on Israel’s northern border in the Golan Heights in order to wage “popular resistance” against the Jewish state, according to a report released Tuesday.

Military forces constituted by both Syrian and non-Syrian forces have been amassing near the Golan Heights and are waiting for an attack order, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which has collected and translated a number of Arab media reports on the matter.

“Regiments and brigades, both Syrian and non-Syrian, are being established to wage ‘popular resistance’ against Israel in the Golan—although the intention is clearly to wage armed guerilla warfare like that of Hezbollah,” according to MEMRI.

Hezbollah forces mass on Israel’s northern border | Washington Free Beacon

Will Riyadh Get the Bomb?: Saudi Arabia’s Atomic Ambitions :: Middle East Quarterly

Posted by on May 20, 2013 Comments Off

As the impasse over Tehran’s nuclear program worsens, those most likely to be directly effected by an Iranian bomb are showing greater alarm. While the media fixates on Israel and its possible reaction, other regional players have no less at stake.

Despite Riyadh’s long-held advocacy of making the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction, there has been much speculation in the last two decades about the possibility of its acquiring or developing nuclear weapons should Tehran obtain the bomb.[1] In the words of King Abdullah: “If Iran developed nuclear weapons … everyone in the region would do the same,”[2] a sentiment echoed by Prince Turki al-Faisal, former head of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Directorate.[3] Has Riyadh decided to go down the nuclear road, or is this bluster a desperate bid to stop Tehran’s nuclear program dead in its tracks?

Will Riyadh Get the Bomb?: Saudi Arabia’s Atomic Ambitions :: Middle East Quarterly

Will Israel destroy Russian missiles? – Israel Opinion, Ynetnews

Posted by on May 18, 2013 Comments Off

The question is – what will happen next time? Assad has apparently not given up on his plan to supply Hezbollah with “deterrence diminishing” weapons as a reward for the Shiite group’s assistance in his regime’s battle for survival. Assad also wants Hezbollah to safeguard his strategic weapons systems so they will not fall into rebel hands.

This is why the West estimates Israel will apparently be forced to attack – perhaps in the near future – additional arms shipments making their way from Iran to Hezbollah via Syria. It is also estimated that Assad would have to respond, despite the fact that he has almost no effective retaliation options. The Syrian army, in its current state, cannot attack us on the ground, and if it fires missiles toward Israel’s home front, Israel will destroy most of the Assad regime’s military assets, and other assets, which are crucial for its continued survival.

Will Israel destroy Russian missiles? – Israel Opinion, Ynetnews

Will Israel Take Out The Russian Missiles in Syria? – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Posted by on May 18, 2013 Comments Off

Those are the facts. Now for the questions. Immediately after Netanyahu’s visit, the Russians announced publicly that they finally intend to supply Assad with those S-300 missiles. Will Israel attack and destroy the missiles while they are being transferred, or will it wait until they have arrived but before they become operational? If so, what will be Assad’s response? How will Hezbollah respond? What will Iran do? And then there is the most interesting question of all. Such an attack would not only be considered a declaration of war against Syria and its allies, but also an assault on Russia.

In other words, is the Middle East teetering on the verge of a massive conflagration, which will draw Iran into the fighting, and will this situation be exploited by Israel, the US or both of them together to deal the long-awaited military blow against Iran’s nuclear program? One thing is certain. Anyone who wants to stay alive in this region and its immediate environs should hope that it does not.

The situation is more dangerous than ever, mainly because everyone involved — and there are plenty of people involved — is caught up in a kind of “Catch-22” situation. …

…

And so, everyone is applying pressure on everyone else in their most sensitive areas. Everything is about to blow up, diagonal red lines slash across the contested land from one end to the other, and the stench of gunpowder makes it difficult to breathe. This is a portrait of the Middle East today, in mid-2013. …

Iran agents training to storm Israel’s border

Posted by on May 15, 2013 Comments Off

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah is established training camps near the Syrian capital of Damascus to prepare for possible guerrilla warfare targeting Israel’s northern Golan Heights, according to informed Middle Eastern security officials.

The officials said the camps are training Palestinian groups as well as special units connected to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s Baath party for operations against Israel if such actions are green-lighted by Assad in the near future.

Iran agents training to storm Israel’s border

Former Hizbullah Leader Subhi Al-Tufayli: Iran Forces Hizbullah to Participate in the Syrian War | MEMRI Video

Posted by on May 12, 2013 Comments Off

Subhi Al-Tufayli: I know for a fact that the vast majority within Hizbullah strongly oppose [joining] the Syrian war. However, a resolute decision to participate [in the war] has been imposed upon them.

Interviewer: By Iran?

Subhi Al-Tufayli: Yes.

Interviewer: Even Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah opposes this?

Subhi Al-Tufayli: I don’t want to name names, but I’m talking about the situation at hand. Everyone realizes how dangerous this is. First, of all, this is internal strife among Muslims, which will be devastating to all. This is the beginning of things to come. I say to the Shiites, to Hizbullah, and to the non-Shiites as well: We are heading towards a horrific war, which will destroy everything. The fatalities will be numbered by the millions.

Interviewer: Fatalities on which side?

Subhi Al-Tufayli: Muslim fatalities. Hizbullah’s joining the Aflaqi Ba’thists in the killing of the Syrian people invites Muslims from all over the world to come to Syria.

Former Hizbullah Leader Subhi Al-Tufayli: Iran Forces Hizbullah to Participate in the Syrian War

Bombs dropped on Syria a plan to squeeze Islamic regime?

Posted by on May 12, 2013 Comments Off

Sources here say the two airstrikes in three days on Syria have gotten the expected response from Tehran, and the Islamic Republic and its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah, have pledged full support of Syria, suggesting they would launch their own attacks in response.

While sources say that the immediate airstrikes were aimed at weapons transfers from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the intent actually is aimed at provoking a response from Tehran that will provide a basis for an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities.

Attacks calculated to force Iran’s hand

Iran threatens response to alleged Israeli strike in Syria | JPost | Israel News

Posted by on May 9, 2013 Comments Off

The paper quotes Iranian sources as saying the response to Israel’s alleged strikes will be made on two levels. The first being “blows under the belt in several locations,” which could be done inside Syria under the policy of “contain, squeeze and crush,” or outside of it, while maintaining the “terror balance.”

The second possible way of response will be calling a meeting of “the friends of the Syrian people” in Tehran in two weeks, in which Iran will “announce a new initiative for a Syrian solution.” More than 40 countries will be invited, and President Assad will be represented by ministers Ali Haidar and Qadri Jamil.

Iran threatens response to alleged Israeli strike in Syria | JPost | Israel News

Two weeks from today is May 23rd. This meeting could be significant. We could see a major retaliation against Israel after May 23rd.