Iran Nuclear Watch: Cheney Warns Iran as Larijani Resigns

US Vice President Dick Cheney speaks to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy annual Weinberg Founders Conference in Lansdowne, Virginia. Cheney said the United States and its allies would not permit Iran to get nuclear weapons and warned of “serious consequences” if it continues to enrich uranium.

Cheney: US will not let Iran go nuclear

The United States and other nations will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday.

“Our country, and the entire international community, cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills its grandest ambitions,” Cheney said in a speech to the Washington Institute for Near East Studies.

He said Iran’s efforts to pursue technology that would allow them to build a nuclear weapon are obvious and that “the regime continues to practice delay and deceit in an obvious effort to buy time.”

If Iran continues on its current course, Cheney said the U.S. and other nations are prepared to take action. The vice president made no specific reference to military action.

“We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Previously, Iran played its hand by the resignation of its nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani.

Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani speaks with journalists at a news conference in Tehran in this September 12, 2007 file photo. Larijani, who quit as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, and his replacement will go to talks with the European Union’s Javier Solana to try to defuse a row with the West, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Iran’s nuclear negotiator resigns

Iran’s chief negotiator with the West over Tehran’s nuclear programme, Ali Larijani, has resigned.

A government spokesman said Mr Larijani had repeatedly offered his resignation and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had finally accepted it.

Mr Larijani had differences with the president over how to proceed with the negotiations, correspondents say.

The spokesman, Gholam Hossein Elham, said a deputy foreign minister, Saeed Jalili, would replace Mr Larijani in time for a meeting on Tuesday with the European Union’s foreign policy head Javier Solana.

The BBC’s Jon Leyne, in Tehran, says Mr Larijani has had differences with President Ahmadinejad over how to proceed with negotiations over the country’s nuclear programme.

Obviously there was a difference as to proceed with Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the European Union and the United Nations over uranium enrichment. Also, obvious is that Iran’s Mullahs prefer confrontation rather then negotiations. But, this is NO great news.

The new nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, is a hard line supporter of President Ahmadinejad and Supreme Mullah leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister Saeed Jalili attends a meeting in Tehran, February 2007. Iran insisted its policy in the nuclear crisis with the West would not change after the sudden resignation of chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, amid fears it would take an even tougher line.

So, was Larijani’s resignation a result of the refusal of Vladimir Putin’s latest offer?

Probably, or it could have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Iran and the Mullahs do NOT want to negotiate. They COVET nuclear weapons and will do anything to posses one.

Vice President Cheney again restates American policy that Iran will not obtain nuclear weapon capability.

But, will President Bush “PUSH” the issue or allow Iran to continue to stall?

Stay tuned…….

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