Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Defies Deadline

No shock here with, again, Iran demonstrating its desire to continue on its nuclear weapons development program.

Iran said on Saturday it would not back down “one iota” in its nuclear row with major powers, voicing defiance on the day of an informal deadline set by the West over Tehran’s disputed atomic ambitions.

Western officials gave Tehran two weeks from July 19 to respond to their offer to hold off from imposing more U.N. sanctions on Iran if it froze any expansion of its nuclear work.

That would suggest a deadline of Saturday but Iran, which has repeatedly ruled out curbing its nuclear activities, dismissed the idea of having two weeks to reply.

The West accuses Iran of seeking to build nuclear warheads under cover of a civilian power program. Iran, the world’s fourth-largest oil producer, denies the charge.

“In whichever negotiation we take part … it is unequivocally with the view to the realization of Iran’s nuclear right and the Iranian nation would not retreat one iota from its rights,” President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said.

And, the United States plus Europe will persue new sanctions ad nauseum.

Flap does not think Israel will wait much longer.

Previous:

• Iran Nuclear Watch: 5000-6000 Uranium Enrichment Centrifuges
• Barack Obama Watch: Iran Does or Does NOT Pose a Serious Threat?
• Iran Nuclear Watch: Back to Sanctions or Military Action?
• Iran Nuclear Watch: Back Channel American Nuclear Negotiations with Iran?
• Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Will NOT Stop Uranium Enrichment