The United Arab Emirates has seized a ship carrying North Korean weapons bound for Iran, in violation of a United Nations arms embargo, diplomats said.
The UAE two weeks ago notified the UN Security Council of the seizure, according to the diplomats, who spoke on condition they arent named because the communication hasnt been made public.
The council committee that monitors enforcement of UN sanctions against North Korea wrote a letter to Iran asking for an explanation and one to the UAE expressing appreciation for the cooperation, the envoys said. No response has been received or further action taken, they said.
The UAE and Iranian missions to the UN didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. The Financial Times reported the weapons seizure earlier today.
The Security Council voted on June 12 to adopt a resolution that punishes North Korea for its recent nuclear- bomb test and missile launches through cargo inspections and enforcement of restrictions on financial transactions. The measure calls for the interdiction at seaports, airports or in international waters of any cargo suspected of containing nuclear or missile-related materials going to or from North Korea.
Iran is under three sets of UN sanctions for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a process to isolate a uranium isotope needed to generate fuel for a nuclear power reactor or, in higher concentrations, to make a weapon.
Iran denies allegations by the U.S. and some of its major allies that it seeks an atomic weapon or the means to build one, insisting the nuclear work is intended to generate electricity.
U.S. President Barack Obama has said the Iranian government must respond by late September to his request for new talks on curbing its nuclear program. Iran last month said work is under way on proposals that may provide the basis for renewed talks.
Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/28/2009 19:09 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11134 views]
Top|| File under:
[Asharq al-Aswat] Following the bombings and violent disorder seen in the northern town of Tripoli and the recent wave of prison break-out attempts from the Roumieh prison, concerns are being raised over the current governmental vacuum and its affect on the current security situation in Lebanon
Asharq Al-Awsat spoke to a high-ranking Lebanese security source who revealed that "there are no worries with regards to civil peace at the current stage, and there is no information that this is under threat." The source added "the problem is in the politics. If the political official agreed [to form a government] this worrying atmosphere would come to an end. If they disagree, talk about sedition, destruction, and explosions increases; however this is not the case in reality."
Speaking about the violence that the Lebanese city of Tripoli has recently witnessed, the security source said "the series of nightly grenade attacks in the Jabal Mohsen area of Tripoli is not carried out by those outside the region, but from within."
The high-ranking Lebanese source added "It is known that Syria and Hezbollah have allies in some parties who follow the Islamist Salafist trend in Tripoli. They support them with money and weapons. It seems that some of this support [initially] did not reach everybody for one reason or another, and following the death of one of the [Salafist group] leaders...this support began to reach them in a more direct and clear way. This improved the condition of the groups, which naturally drew attention to them. And so the specialist security force immediately took stock of the situation, and undertook raids on some of their weapons cache."
The source revealed that the link between the Salafist groups and Hezbollah was discovered after the Lebanese security force raided a house belonging to a Salafist group member with ties to Hezbollah and discovered a weapons cache.
Speaking about Hezbollah providing these groups with weaponry, the Lebanese security source also told Asharq Al-Awsat "The Lebanese security forces, from the army to the internal security apparatus, are in control of the situation. This is why they have separated the Beddawi Palestinian Refugee Camp and Jabal Mohsen. They have set up in position between these two areas in order to monitor any suspicious activity or attempts to transfer arms."
The source also denied that there was any threat to Tripoli saying "There is no threat to civil peace if the situation remains as it is in Tripoli because there is solid cooperation between the region's officials and leaders, particularly the Grand Mufti of the North, Sheikh Malek al-Shaar. In short, the measures undertaken by the security forces are good, and the people of Tripoli have expressed their satisfaction with the steps that have been taken."
The recent foiled breakout attempt from Roumieh prison by members of the Fatah al-Islam group saw only Taha Hajj al-Suleiman escape, with the other seven Fatah members being caught before they could get over the wall. Al-Suleiman was recaptured less than a day later by Lebanese authorities. Speaking of the investigation into this incident, the source told Asharq Al-Awsat "the suspect, Taha Hajj al-Suleiman, is a member of Fatah al-Islam...but he did not give up any information or implicate any of his accomplices. He also attempted to mislead the investigation by giving up names of security personnel who had nothing to do with him obtaining a cell phone whilst inside prison, but rather this was an attempt at gaining payback, as was later revealed. The investigation had difficulty in getting information from him, and particularly looked at where he was heading once he fled prison, and who facilitated his escape. The investigation also arrested an individual from the Beqaa town of Arsal who was supposed to meet with the escapees and provide them with aid. The investigation is still ongoing."
As for the information that Fatah al-Islam prisoners are given preferential treatment and enjoy freedom of movement in Roumieh prison, the security source told Asharq Al-Awsat "it is not true that religious figures intercede on their behalf [to secure this], things are focused only on the humanitarian aspect...religious figures say that those who commit terrorist activities should be subject to the law and punished."
Speaking about information about assassination plots against official figures, the source revealed "around one month ago the authorities arrested a network of ten individuals who belong to Fatah al-Islam who were in possession of Hungarian passports and Greek telephone numbers. After questioning them, the authorities received unconfirmed information about plans to booby-trap a UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] truck which would be detonated close to the headquarters of the Phalange Party whilst MP Samy Gemayel was present. The Lebanese authorities warned Gemayel of this treat and provided him with the necessary protection."
Posted by: Fred ||
08/28/2009 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11142 views]
Top|| File under: Hezbollah
#1
Strange bedfellows. While a Salafist government in Yemen is slaughtering shiites, while a Salafist terrorist organization is slaughtering Shiites in Iraq, while Salafists slaughter Shiites in Pakistan ... the Shiite Hezbollah is going to support a Salafist organization in Tripoli?
I dunno. Salafists see Shiites as evil incarnate. I don't see why they would even accept such help.
#2
The big Sunni-Shiite final conflagration is supposed to happen at the End of Days.
But...get this: according to the witless prophecy, a 70,000 man Jewish army is supposed to rise in what is now Iran, only to be faced with a larger army from what is Afghanistan, which will massacre the Jews and Shiites and move on towards Jerusalem, where they confront the anti-christ (Dajjal). According to the shiites, the "hidden imam" will arise to lead the army. But...where do they find 70,000 Jews in Central Asia?
[Al Arabiya Latest] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Thursday for "crippling sanctions" against Iran to stop its disputed nuclear work, on a solemn visit to Berlin marked by Holocaust remembrance.
After talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Netanyahu expressed hopes for a quick resumption of Middle East peace talks as he warned of a mortal threat to Israel's survival posed by Iran.
"There is not much time" to halt Tehran's nuclear ambitions, he told reporters.
"I think the most important thing that can be put in place is what the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called crippling sanctions. It is possible to put real pressure, real economic pressure, on this regime if the major powers of the world unite."
Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Fred ||
08/28/2009 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11136 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
And just what would those be? China is happy to accept 100% of Iranian oil output and sell any goods Iranians desire.
Posted by: ed ||
08/28/2009 9:31 Comments ||
Top||
#2
Would China be so happy if the Oil was Radioactive?
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
08/28/2009 13:20 Comments ||
Top||
[Al Arabiya Latest] Some Iranian reformers jailed after the disputed presidential election were raped in prison, a member of a parliamentary investigation said on Thursday.
"Raping of some detainees with a baton and soda bottle has been proven to us," the Parlemannews website quoted the unidentified lawmaker from the investigative committee as saying.
Iran's defeated presidential candidate, Mehdi Karroubi, had said some imprisoned protesters were raped and abused in jail, a charge government officials rejected as "baseless."
But parliament speaker Ali Larijani said last week he would be ready to consider any documents or other evidence submitted by Karoubi to back up his claims.
Larijani had ordered the formation of the parliamentary committee to investigate the plight of detainees, most of whom were held during mass protests following the results of the June 12 election.
Karroubi, a moderate, had said four people were ready to testify to parliament that they were sexually abused in jail if their security was guaranteed.
The pro-reform cleric has angered some hardliners in power for raising the allegations and they suggested Karoubi should be jailed or lashed if he failed to prove his claims.
Another moderate, losing candidate Mirhossein Mousavi, backed Karroubi and accused "establishment agents" of raping and abusing detainees.
Iranian moderates say the June vote was rigged to secure President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, a charge the authorities deny.
[Iran Press TV Latest] The cultural heritage officials of Iran's Fars Province have rejected reports about the destruction of the Achaemenid Gondashlu stone mine.
Iran's CHN news agency had earlier reported that mining operations near Persepolis had ruined 70 percent of Gondashlu mine, located 60 kilometers southwest of the Achaemenid capital.
The Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism office of Fars Province said in a statement that archeology experts have visited the site and have found no evidence of mining operations.
The statement also says that mining operations near Gondashlu were stopped six months ago after miners approached the historical site in search of better sources.
Experts believe Gondashlu was used by Achaemenids in building Persepolis due to its high quality stones.
The mine is considered a good source of information about Achaemenid mining techniques as well as a resource for Persepolis restoration project.
It was during the 1960s that American archeologist William M. Sumner of the University of Pennsylvania discovered the significance of Gondashlu stone mine for Achaemenids.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
