U.S. Sanctions Companies for Arming Iran

The sanctions were invoked using the Iran Nonproliferation Act (I NA), legislation passed by Congress in 2000 that was strongly supported by AIPAC. INA authorizes sanctions against entities providing material to Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.

Turkey Warns World About Iran’s Nuclear Pursuit

Turkey’s Ambassador to the United States, Faruk Logoglu, on Wednesday warned that Iran is bent on attaining nuclear weapons, The Jerusalem Post reported. Logoglu said that “Iran’s nuclear weapons would be a serious threat to security in the Middle East.” The ambassador’s comments occurred as a Turkish court earlier this week ruled that Iran uses terrorism as foreign policy tool and would not hesitate to continue doing so.

Iran Allegedly Using Tunnels to Hide Atomic Programs

An Iranian exile group claimed on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic has built an extensive tunnel system to hide its nuclear weapons research, the Associated Press reported. The Iranian group said that they know of 14 such locations throughout Iran that are helping Tehran to “cover up the regime’s nuclear- and missile-related” programs. This revelation comes only days before European negotiators are set to meet with members of the Iranian government in an effort to get Tehran to halt its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Bush: “We Cannot Allow” a Nuclear Iran

During a press conference on Monday, President Bush reiterated the U.S. position that the United States “cannot allow the Iranians to have the capacity to enrich” uranium, a key step in the development of nuclear weapons, Agence France Presse reported. Bush went on to say that “an Iran with the capacity to manufacture a nuclear weapon is not in the world’s interest” and suggested that Iran should face possible U.N. Security Council sanctions.

House Resolution Condemns Iran’s Anti-Israel Statements

Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) introduced a resolution condemning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s “hateful rhetoric toward Israel.” The resolution details Ahmadinejad’s numerous threats against Israel, including the call for it to be “wiped off the map.” The resolution reiterates Congress’ pledge to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and to maintain the United States’ steadfast bonds with Israel.

Iran Tests New Missiles During Military Maneuvers

The Iranian military on Thursday successfully tested a surface-to-sea missile capable of striking ships more than 65 miles away, the Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post reported. The missile test was part of a larger Iranian military maneuver that included the use of submarines, warships, missiles, jet fighters and gunships. Meanwhile, a report on Friday in the German news service Deutsche Presse-Agentur said that Iran recently purchased longer-range missiles from North Korea that are capable of even striking targets in central Europe.

Iran’s President Calls Holocaust a "Myth"

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in reference to the Holocaust that "they have fabricated a legend under the name 'Massacre of the Jews', and they hold it higher than God himself" in a speech broadcast live on state television on Wednesday, Reuters reported. It was the second time in a week that Ahmadinejad had denied the Holocaust, a view that has heightened American and Israeli concerns about Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.