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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Riyadh seeks Russian help to prevent US strike on Iran |
| 2006-04-11 |
| RIYADH - Saudi Arabia, fearing that US military action against Iran would wreak further havoc in the region, has asked Russia to block any bid by Washington to secure UN cover for an attack, a Russian diplomat said on Tuesday. During a visit to Moscow last week, the head of the Saudi National Security Council “urged Russia to strive to prevent the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution which the United States could use as justification to launch a military assault to knock out Iran’s nuclear facilities,” the diplomat told AFP in Riyadh on condition of anonymity. Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a former longtime ambassador to the United States who is often tasked with delicate missions, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on April 4. Saudi officials did not give details about the meeting. The Russian diplomat said the talks focused on the row over Iran’s nuclear program but did not make clear what Moscow’s response was to the call for restraining the United States. Several recent reports in the US media raised the possibility that the administration of US President George W. Bush was considering US air strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites. Bush described the reports as “wild speculation” and said Washington wanted to settle the long-running nuclear standoff between Teheran and the West through diplomacy. The United States believes Iran is secretly trying to build atomic weapons under cover of a nuclear energy program, allegations Iran has consistently denied. A Gulf diplomat, who also requested anonymity, said Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries were worried about the possibility of US military action against Iran at a time when Iraq is engulfed in what is increasingly turning into civil war. Gulf Arab states fear the fallout of a US-Iran conflict on the oil-rich region, which has seen three wars since 1980, most recently the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, the diplomat said. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal said last week that Riyadh believes Teheran’s assertions about its nuclear activities. “That is why we don’t see a danger in Iran acquiring knowledge about nuclear energy provided it does not lead to (nuclear) proliferation. Of course, we believe proliferation is a threat,” he said. Saud also played down Iran’s recent war games during which it tested new weapons, saying the exercises did not pose a threat to Teheran’s Gulf neighbours. He also said he would visit Iran soon but did not give a specific date. Bandar earlier visited China, another permanent UN Security Council member with veto power, a trip diplomats in Riyadh believe was also linked to the standoff over Iran’s nuclear activities. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #8 Looks like the Saudis are demanding to be dominated or controlled by IRAN and the future revived Persian Empires - like good Clintonian God-based Lefties, they demand to be enslaved iff not destroyed. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-04-11 21:07 |
| #7 Is there a Chinese Embassy near by? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-04-11 16:26 |
| #6 The home base of the religion of pus must be freaking out at the prospect not getting nukes from their brothers in crime in Iran. A hint to the President, if you are going to drop a bunker buster on Iran, let a couple go Bosnian wild into the Kaaba. Just be sure to paint, "9-11" on the side of the missles. |
| Posted by: Icerigger 2006-04-11 16:24 |
| #5 This combined with the Iranian announcement tells me that Iran will test a bomb real soon. Maybe above ground. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-04-11 13:51 |
| #4 "...a UN Security Council resolution which the United States could use as justification..." Saudi logic never ceases to amaze me. Seems to me that a UNSC resolution would be an attempt at a diplomatic solution. Pipe dreams perhaps but an attempt non-the less. So what am I supposed to take away here? The SaudiÂ’s believe the Iranians will not only refuse to respect a UN resolution but they will cause trouble as a result. And depending on what form the retaliation takes, the US would most assuredly respond in kind. Look, the US would not be using the resolution as justification but simply countering Iranian belligerence and aggression. Maybe the SaudiÂ’s should be focusing their efforts urging Iran to behave in the event a resolution does come to fruition. Or maybe abandon their nuclear aspirations all together and avoid incineration. Just a thought. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2006-04-11 12:23 |
| #3 Several recent reports in the US media raised the possibility that the administration of US President George W. Bush was considering US air strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites. Bush described the reports as “wild speculation” and said Washington wanted to settle the long-running nuclear standoff between Teheran and the West through diplomacy. f*ck*ss writer: it was the use of nuclear weapons to bomb the sites that Bushlabelled "wild speculation". Military operations against Iran were always on the table and never were removed. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2006-04-11 10:36 |
| #2 Well, the Russkies were so helpful to Sammy... |
| Posted by: Spot 2006-04-11 10:32 |
| #1 I have to ask: Is this Muslim First or Marx Bros? I must've gotten up too soon, obviously this nightmare's unfinished. |
| Posted by: Jising Shugum8796 2006-04-11 10:03 |