Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari is of the opinion that his warships’ missions on the high seas are playing “a vital role” in affecting Tehran’s nuclear talks with the P5+1.
“The presence of our Navy (in international waters) is even important for the nuclear talks,” Rear Admiral Sayyari said…Rear Admiral Sayyari underlined that the Navy’s presence in the high seas provides a backup for the country in all the political, economic and cultural spheres.
This is the latest in a series of boasts from Iranian leaders since the P5+1 and Iran arrived at an interim arrangement.
More disturbing remarks have emerged from Tehran in recent weeks, including the brag from Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi that his experts could reverse key nuclear concessions in a matter of weeks.
“Oxidizing 5% uranium does not mean the elimination of uranium… It is a mistake to say that we lose our reserves by oxidizing uranium…We can transform our 5% uranium to 20% within two to three weeks if needed.”
Earlier this week Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the world not to dismiss Iranian statements as mere rhetoric. That, he said, would be erroneous, to say the least.
Iran is calling for our destruction. It is developing nuclear weapons. This is the reason it is building underground bunkers for the enrichment of uranium. This is the reason it is establishing a plutonium-producing heavy water facility. This is the reason it continues to develop inter-continental ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear warheads to threaten the entire world.
Today, just like then, there are those who dismiss Iran’s extreme rhetoric as one that serves domestic purposes. Today, just like then, there are those who view Iran’s nuclear ambitions as the result of the natural will of a proud nation – a will that should be accepted.
And just like then, those who make such claims are deluding themselves. They are making an historic mistake.