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let me ask you direct question: As citizens of this planet, have not we seen how weak countries are bombed and exploited ? If a country has a natural resources (oil etc)and at the same time weak, is not that considered an invitation to the predators ? in other words, how can a weak country survive in this world which is governed in law of jungle ? If five million settlers (israels) can have a nuclear bombs, why 60 millions of Iranians can even master the technology ? I don,t get that.
Answer
You are right, we are governed by law of Jungle, that is why we must be prepared for the result of such unjust world by using all possible resources. What special about the Iranian stance is that it is still continuing its legal civilian program by using all gates: diplomacy, symbolic threats and above all investing its technological capabilities as much as possible. Iranian officials have insisted consistently that their nuclear program is solely for peaceful generation of power and that they have no ambitions to build nuclear weapons.
So they did not violate the international law, they are just using their legal rights under the Nuclear Non Proliferation treaty. Meanwhile, it has been using the time given to her in a magnificent way i.e., every day we see a new practical, calm, legal but protective step being taken. So it is not a matter of rights only that I agree with you about, but a matter of fighting by all means to reach your rights in such unbalanced and unreasonable world.
Name
Nadir
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Profession
educator
Question
TO SAFEGUARD THEMSELVES FROM ATTACK, Iran should have nuclear capabilities. please comment.
Answer
We can easily notice that Iran has known the fact that the more you are strong, the more you are respected especially in dealing with the US that easily invaded Iraq under a weak pretext while still hesitating with North Korea that already obtains the nuclear weapons.
Iranian politicians compare their country's treatment as a signatory to the NPT to three nations that have not signed the NPT: Israel, India, and Pakistan. Each of these nations developed an indigenous nuclear weapons capability: Israel, India by 1974 and Pakistan by 1990.
So, yes, Iran should have nuclear capabilities to safeguard itself from any attack, but what type of capabilities, how and when? these are the important questions.
Iran has already gained a better regional and even international strong position by reaching such developed steps in its “civilian” nuclear program with enrichment level of 3.6%, and a heavy water technology production. Now it possesses a more valid stance in its negotiations with the west while making these negotiations. Iran can now, in the diplomatic field only buy time to reach better compromises than before. this by itself is a major step to protect its interests.
If we are going to speak about the possibility of going further to see atomic weapons, it has turned to be a matter of political decision built on very delicate calculations.
Finally, do not forget the deterrence capability enjoyed actually by the Iranian regarding their very developed and sophisticated missiles project.
Name
Shamsuddin Bolatito
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Profession
student
Question
Salam alaykum, Hayakumullahu
my questions is that what make the Islamic nations a prey for the western countries?
When ever there is an attack or act of terror, Muslims suffer the result and now all Muslims dominated nations are sharing the suffering and a planned WWW-3 against Iran and the entire Muslims nation. Is it offence or crime to be a Muslims where other religious persons are living free from oppression and intimidation????
Answer
I can understand your feeling, when seeing that the Muslims are always accused, then attacked all over the world. It is a very critical moment we are living in, but please try not to put all the western powers in one basket and try to see the variety in the western society fabrics.
Those groups and figures who still obtain an objective and fair vision are those we must try our best to communicate with. I am not so optimistic like you, but we must not restrict our efforts to complaining and justifying our weakness by only focusing on the other injustice and oppression. We must move to build our internal powers and also to reach those reasonable voices and minds that still exist in the West and that we benefit from to defend all our causes.
Name
Editor...
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Profession
Question
First of all, we would like to thank you for your time with us.
Why is Italy trying that hard to play a part in the Iranian question? Does it have what we may call a special agenda with Iran? or it just needs to have a significant role in the Middle East hot region?
Answer
Italy is one of the big trade partners with Iran, so it tries to invest such good relations as it has no bad history or problems with the Iranian regime. I think the Italians themselves have been surprised in a way by such a positive response coming from Iran.
Of course you know the last official Iranian statement was speaking about the Iranian confidence in the Italian mediating. So, Italy tries to use a new path opened in front of it to establish a credible role in the region. This move also goes hand in hand with the new trends adopted by the new leftist government in Italy and goes with its new stand in Iraq too. All of these are helping the new Italian government internally to solidify its position and most importantly its European stance next to other European states, like France.
Do not forget the impact of having now two camps of governments in Europe, namely the left and the right wings. That's why we sometimes witness some differences and role competitions to some extent. I think that it is what the Italians try to benefit from, especially after loosing the support of France and Germany whose stances have turned lately to be closer to the American vision regarding the Iranian nuclear file.
Name
Tommy
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Profession
Question
What is the situation worldwide now, I mean we want to know what's going on with Iran? Is there a threat of war looming over there? Is the US going to strike Iran? And can it do so easily?
Answer
The situation is very glooming, because many factors intersect and many developments have been occurring recently.
But we are only in front of two scenarios, and both of them have an equal chance to be accepted.
The first one is escalating the confrontation (a possible military confrontation) because it is almost impossible for the US and especially Israel to accept to have such an ambitious regional power nearby with nuclear weapons, but even nuclear technology, if it remains civilian.
It is a privilege that no Muslim country, especially Iran must enjoy. The conflict between the US and Iran is not just of interests, but above all a structural and a civilizationl one, and the nuclear crisis is just the facade of other deep and important problems between the two countries. What also endorses such a track is the ideological nature of both administrations, the Iranian and the American as well. neither of them can easily afford surrendering to each other's claims. So, some observers mention a possible tactical strike, or limited bombing against Iran to abort its nuclear program.
In this scenario, we have to put an eye on the next coming congressional election in November in the US to see how the desperate president Bush is going to improve the stance of his party in front of the severe critics against his war in Iraq.
The second is Avoiding a military confrontation and paving the way for diplomatic efforts. This scenario is built on Iran's deterrence ability. Iran can use around 130 thousand American soldiers in Iraq as hostages. If the US begins a guerilla war or endorses the Shiite resistance, Iran can hit the oil fields in the gulf, or close the Hormoz passage just by targeting two medium ships inside.
Iran is not like Iraq, it is a country that enjoys a very solid strategic deepness, so it is impossible to invade and very difficult to just bomb it without expecting a destroying response in many places of the world against the US interests. And above all, Iran can increase unimaginably the oil prices up to $150 a barrel if it stops its oil production. Additionally, if the military confrontation begins, the world economy as a whole will be threatened.
In my opinion, away from any irrational (ideological) decisions that Bush administration could take -especially that we are dealing with some dogmatic minds in the American new conservative, I think the diplomacy will remain on surface to press on Iran and, at the maximum some economic sanctions could be implemented if the Western powers could convince Russia and China not to veto such a decision, which by the way is very hard to expect because of the tremendous and strategic ties that gather those countries with Iran.
Name
Usuf Khan
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Profession
Question
Some people say that the US played an important role in arming Iran to stand strongly in the face of Iraq. So why does it try now to eliminate the Iranian power in the region? Is this just for the sake of Israel's eyes, or for something unknown to many of us? Thanks a lot.
Answer
The American strategy in the Middle East is built like any super power on "divide and rule", so in one phase it was in the interest of US to back Iraq to contain Iran and when Iraq was going to pass its planned limits they started supporting the other side as well to keep the region with no sole big power. But now, it is for the American interest to keep the regional powers unbalanced in favor of Israel by eliminating all possible sources of power for the Iranians. Pertaining to the conflict between the US and Iran, I have just referred to this in a previous answer. Thank you.
Name
maxamed
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Profession
manager
Question
Why are the USA and her collition opposing the iranian program of nuclear and the benifits of uranium?
Answer
I will answer your question on two level:
First, formally, the West's main concern is Iran's program for enriching uranium, a process that can be used to make fuel for nuclear power stations or material for atomic bombs. So they are questioning its intentions. It is a matter of intentions and possibilities. When the state possesses a highly nuclear technology, it has the choice . It has turned to be a matter of a political decision, to continue further to own nuclear weapons or to commit itself to the peaceful purposes of this program. The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has inaugurated a new phase in the Arak heavy-water reactor project-- and the plant's plutonium product could be used to make atomic warheads. But once again notice this term “could”, because you will find it whenever a western document or statement is speaking about the Iranian nuclear program.
Second, on the field of real politics, we have to treat the western fears on the level of interest contradictions as seen by the western powers, mainly the US. It is not a matter of international law. Iranian officials have insisted consistently that their nuclear program is solely for peaceful generation of power and that they have no ambitions to build nuclear weapons.
So they have not violated the international law, They have not been within the scope of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty safeguards Agreement. They are just using their legal rights under this treaty. So, in reality, it is a political issue reflecting a deep structural and civilizational conflict between the US and Iran.
Iran is standing as a powerful regional power prohibiting the US regime, not people, from easily securing two of its important interests: the security of Israel and the protecting the oil fields.
By the way, it is the American policies in the Middle East that have propelled the oil prices higher to surpass $70 a barrel, not Iran. Thus, the real target is to prevent Iran from developing its own nuclear technology, even if it intends to keep it for peaceful purposes. What’s more important to the US is to guarantee its dominance on the whole region despite to what extent it deprives other nations from their own rights to develop and use the modern technology.
Name
a concerned
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Profession
Question
How do you explain the fears of some Arab countries that the Iranian nuclear ambitions may pose a kind of threat on the whole region and may help Iran domineer the Middle East in the near future? And do you agree?
Answer
You are right, many Arab countries, especially the Gulf ones have fears against having a nuclear Iranian power next door, and they have all the legitimate right to specify what they consider national threats. But we must be realistic as well, the big strategic imbalances between Iran alone and the Arab Gulf states together exist whether we like it or not. Even the Gulf leaders have very special relations with Iran that reflect this sensitivity.
But on the other hand, many of the Gulf leaders express their worries from any possible military attack on Iran, despite the American pressures, because they will be the first to suffer from the attack results. We are in front of a very interconnected region in which such a matter must be treated in a very delicate way. I think the best and safer way is to built a better trust between Iran and other Gulf states by creating good networks of interests that keep both sides willing to have stable peaceful relations. For instance, let's look to the Arab United Emirates, despite the Islands dispute with Iran and the continuous efforts to solve it, it has kept its economic and trading ties as the best partner with the Iranians in the Gulf region. But meanwhile, Iran has some responsibilities that it should take over to secure those fears.
In addition, we as Arabs sometimes overestimate the danger coming from Iran? what about the ultimate direct danger coming from Israel?... I think we have to set up our priorities well to draw our map of the potential enemies and friends.
Finally, there is a very important point still missing there: the Arab leaders keep expressing their fears from the increased Iranian influence and the unbalances that the nuclear Iranian program would create in the region. Why do they not stop complaining and attacking others for using and defending vigorously their legitimate and legal rights to have at least a developed civilian nuclear program?! Why do they not begin themselves to do the same?! It's better to benefit from this new norm that Iran could succeed in establishing in the region and try to rebalance the region if we really care about our own interests and not the interests of the others.
Name
Patriot
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Profession
Question
How do you read the future of Iran in light of obtaining a nuclear power?
Answer
Obtaining a nuclear power, even a civilian one is a great step in solidifying Iran position internally, regionally and internationally.
On the internal arena, Mr. Ahmadinejad has turned the nuclear issue into his raison d’être. Focusing on national pride, the president and Ayatollah Khamenei have succeeded in winning public support for the nuclear program. So it is a good back up for the Iranian regime as a whole and for the conservative as well. Economically, Iran can benefit from this extra energy resource to maximize its oil use benefits.
Regionally, It gains a new position in the region as it will represent a more respected status that could lead later on to more acceptance of the system in its regional environment, especially if Iran succeeds in using this program to ameliorate its economy and build a solid technological infrastructure that helps it achieve a better development.
Internationally, Iran can negotiate well to reach better compromises with the west. But this depends on the American reactions that will have general evaluations of losses and benefits. Kindly see the previous answers for more details.
Name
Roberto
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Profession
Question
Can there be Iran-Arab unity in your opinion? and how can that be reached?
Answer
Unfortunately, there are more impediments than chances in front of establishing such unity. The main reason is the international position of most of the Arab countries, their alliance with the US which contradicts the Iranian stance in the international order as claimed an evil power.
Going from this factor, we will witness lots of differences between most of the Arab countries and Iran. Besides, we have a long history of regional competitions.
We have also the Islamic nature of the Iranian regime which contradicts again the ideology and the interests of many Arab states.
Of course, if it is seen from other perspectives in which there is a common regional fear from Israel, all these impediments will not be on the top of the leaders calculations, and we could see better cooperation through standing in front of the Israeli dominance.
Name
Mo
- Alaska
Profession
Tech guy
Question
When Iran Accquire Atomic like bomb will they black mail Sunni Arabs?
Answer
If Iran acquires the atomic bomb, it will present less threat to all Arabs than the Israeli 200 atomic bombs that are already headed towards Arab States and peoples.
Name
Editor.
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Profession
Question
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Answer
The session has ended. We would like to thank both Dr. Pakynam for taking the time to answer the questions of IslamOnline viewers, and all those who participated in this live dialogue.
