MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Beth Reinhard, National Journal – “U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Sunday indirectly confirmed recent remarks by the Ambassador to Israel that the U.S. is ‘ready from a military perspective’ to stop Iran from making a nuclear weapon if international pressure fails.

The U.S. and members of the United Nations Security Council recently met in Baghdad for talks about Iran’s suspected nuclear weapon program. Iran denies it has military intentions but has called for the destruction of Israel.

‘We have plans to be able to implement any contingency we have to in order to defend ourselves,’ Panetta said on ABC’s This Week. Earlier, Panetta said, ‘The fundamental premise is that neither the United States or the international community is going to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.'” Read more.

Iran: No reasons to halt “20 percent” enrichment – “Iran’s nuclear chief says there are no reasons at the moment to halt production of uranium enriched to 20 percent, a key demand of world powers… Abbasi’s statement echoes Iran’s objections last week in Baghdad to suspending 20 percent enrichment in exchange for a U.S.-supported package that would include supplying Iran with isotopes. Iran seeks to have Western sanctions eased before considering any deals.The U.S. and allies worry that the 20 percent enriched material could be turned quickly into weapons grade uranium. Iran denies it seeks nuclear arms. Abbasi also said Iran plans to build at least two new nuclear power plants next to an existing facility that became operational with Russia’s help last year.” Read more.

UN inspectors denied access to Iranian nuke site suspected of developing nuclear weapons – “The U.N. nuclear watchdog has not yet given good enough reasons to visit an Iranian site where it suspects there may have been experiments for developing nuclear weapons, Iranian media said. The Parchin complex is at the centre of Western suspicions that Iran is developing atom bombs despite Tehran’s repeated denials of any such ambition. A report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week said satellite images showed “extensive activities” at Parchin. Iranian officials have refused access to the complex, southeast of Tehran, saying it is a military site.” Read more.