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Iran's president has warned that it could restart its nuclear programme "within hours" if the United States imposes any more new sanctions.
Hassan Rouhani also said the programme would be more advanced than in 2015, when Iran curbed its nuclear activities as part of a deal with world powers.
Iran says unilateral US sanctions targeting its ballistic missile programme breach the agreement.
But the US says Iran's missile tests have violated a UN resolution.
The resolution endorsed the nuclear deal and called upon Iran not to "undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology".
Iran says the missiles it has tested are not designed to carry nuclear warheads and insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Sulla on Tuesday August 15 2017, @07:36PM (16 children)
A nuclear Iran does more to promote world peace than a non-nuclear Iran does. It would certainly help them in maintaining their nations sovereignty, and unlike Pakistan I am not nearly as concerned about Iran's weapons falling into the wrong hands.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 5, Insightful) by n1 on Tuesday August 15 2017, @07:55PM (2 children)
This is indeed worth remembering, Pakistan, a strategic ally that does have a fully developed nuclear weapons program is also a nation that has ungovernable tribal regions, a porous border with a totally failed state in Afghanistan, continual regional tensions with another nuclear power in India... On top of that elements within the military are known to provide support for 'radical terror groups' in the region. This includes being complicit in providing safe harbour for the world's most wanted man for an unknown peroid.
Yet there is very little concern about the dangers of the Pakistan nuclear capabilities, because of a general understanding of political and economic cooperation, even if internal politics and military alignment on both sides continually undermine the general spirit of cooperation and any meaningful progress to regional stability.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 16 2017, @07:19AM
Problem is, that orange clown is probably the best person for the job right now
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 16 2017, @09:19AM
Pakistan is run by its army. Since its inception in 1947 it has not seen a single democratic ruler last its full term of 5 years. You know what is the quality of military? It is a dog. Earlier its master was USA now it is cosying up to China. It is open secret that Pakistan's nuclear capabilities, just like that of North Korea, are mostly funded by China.
I wonder who has more failure written all over their foreign policy:
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @09:42PM (7 children)
Yes, what could possibly go wrong with a country whose SENATE openly chants "Death to America" during political meetings? Come on, you can trust them. Sure, Obama's own State Department called them the #1 State Supporter of Terrorism, but that's no reason not to send them billions of dollars in cash!
(Score: 4, Insightful) by julian on Tuesday August 15 2017, @09:54PM
It was money we owed them. We seized assets decades ago, the $1.7B was us returning those funds plus interest. It was a deal sweetener to get them to release some prisoners and negotiate their nuke program.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Tuesday August 15 2017, @09:56PM (3 children)
When Iran signed the "peaceful" nuclear deal in order to develop "peaceful" nuclear energy, Iran's senate shouted "death to America, death to Israel". But you really shouldn't infer anything from that. I mean really, Iran wants nothing but peace. That's why they fund terrorists.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2, Touché) by gawdonblue on Tuesday August 15 2017, @10:10PM
And the Israeli Knesset keeps telling the world it wants peace with its neighbours.
Actions speak louder than words.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 16 2017, @01:06AM
The US promotes democracy and peace, which is why it's allied with Saudi Arabia, a country that also funds terrorism. I'm sure Iran would be even more unstable had the US not overthrown their democracy a long time ago.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 16 2017, @01:40PM
I hope you don't expect us to believe that you'd sing _Kumbaya_ to honor a state that overthrew your democratically elected leader, propped up a terrible dictator for decades, then enforced crippling sanctions for more decades in response to you finally getting rid of said dictator.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 15 2017, @10:05PM
Those terrible Iranians, I can't even imagine such behavior would even happen in our civilized nation much less by our Senators.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 16 2017, @07:46AM
They did the same with Israel back in the days, while building a secret runway in the desert for the Israeli presidents plane to land without anyone noticing. Because the religion is Islam and thus by definition they hate Israel (and the USA), but politically they considered Israel to be their friends. Both are non-Arab countries surrounded by Arabs, and thus in the same situation.
Unfortunately, that runway hasn't been in use since the then-president of Israel was killed. His successor had a different view on Iran, and took the chanting seriously rather than accepting that it's for the cameras.
You can find the runway on Google Earth if you look carefully, look for the airport just south of Teheran, and then a bit south of that.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by DannyB on Tuesday August 15 2017, @09:50PM (1 child)
I disagree.
Comparing the security of Iran's weapons to the security of Pakistan's weapons does not make your point about making the world more peaceful.
If Iran had zero nuclear weapons, then it would have zero chance of its (non existent) weapons falling into the wrong hands -- lower chance than Pakistan's weapons falling into the wrong hands. So using that argument for a more peaceful world, I could argue that having BOTH Iran and Pakistan have zero nuclear weapons even further promotes world peace.
As for the argument about maintaining sovereignty, the best way you do that is to try to have good relations with all your neighbors. Or have good relations with allies that will help you maintain your sovereignty, both in the UN and in actual battle if need be. Sort of how the US preserved Kuwait out of our generous altruistic kindness. (*cough* oil *cough*)
Iran having nuclear weapons greatly increases the chances that Iran will launch them against Israel (the little satan), and against the US (the great satan). Not having nuclear weapons decreases the chance somewhat.
Finally, despite what The Great Orange Clown has said in the past about use of nuclear weapons being acceptable or even desirable, it is not. Even if two countries A and B, have a conflict that is unrelated to the US, or to any other country, their use of nuclear weapons affects us all. Nuclear weapons affect the environment and habitability of the entire planet.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 4, Touché) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday August 15 2017, @11:58PM
Iran has experience with doing exactly that, but the CIA overthrew their democratically elected Government, and installed a brutal dictator who stayed in power for the next 25 years or so by repressing any dissent.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 16 2017, @12:01AM (2 children)
"I am not nearly as concerned about Iran's weapons falling into the wrong hands."
So, the fact that Iran has suffered two regime changes within living memory means nothing? Three times if you can find a really old man/woman. What happens if the current ayatollahs are all executed for being to moderate? Then what?
(Score: 2) by Arik on Wednesday August 16 2017, @01:00AM
I assume you meant 'too moderate.' Not only does it look very unlikely at present (the country has been consistently electing moderate-reformists and liberalizers) but the only way that it would seem plausible in the future would be if the country becomes significantly poorer. That's what sanctions are supposed to do, though of course quite often they wind up doing little to nothing anyway.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Sulla on Wednesday August 16 2017, @03:49AM
Pretty sure if we stop fuckin with them they will stop havig revolutions.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam