VARIOUS: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warns about Iranian nuclear threat/ While hardline cleric Ahmad Khatami refers to Iran's accomplishments under sanctions in Friday prayers sermon

Hardliner cleric Ahmad Khatami discussed the threat of sanctions against Iran in his Friday (October 27) prayers sermon in Tehran. Iran has started enriching uranium in a second network of centrifuges, Iran's student news agency ISNA reported on Friday, expanding a programme which the West fears is intended to make atomic bombs. Uranium UF-6 gas is injected into cylindrical centrifuges which spin at supersonic speeds to produce enriched material. The centrifuges can be used for making fuel for power plants or material for atomic bombs. Iran, the world's fourth largest oil exporter, says the aim of its nuclear programme is to meet energy needs. But it has failed to convince world powers, who are threatening UN sanctions after Tehran failed to heed a UN demand to halt enrichment work. Iran now faces possible sanctions for failing to halt its enrichment work, as demanded by the UN Security Council. A draft sanctions resolution has been drawn up by European states, but Russia has expressed its misgivings about the proposal. "If they (the West) want to sanction Iran, as they have for the past 27 years - even during that period of time our capable and brave youth have reached nuclear achievements. So, if they want to hurt us, they will be harmed more," an influential Iranian cleric, Ahmad Khatami, told worshippers during Friday prayers. "The United Nations Security Council resolution is illogical, baseless and groundless. And it is not valuable for the free nations in the world," he added. Iran has shrugged off the threat of sanctions. The country's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, has threatened retaliation, possibly by halting UN inspections of Iranian facilities. Russia, the United States, Britain, France and China -- the five permanent council members -- plus Germany held their first meeting on Thursday on the draft resolution, which would ban Iranian trade in nuclear materials and ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Friday that Iran's uranium enrichment activities is about the Iranian nuclear threat at a ceremony at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem. "This nation (Iran) continues to be a legitimate member of the United Nations, and leaders of many countries in the world receive the leader that speaks publicly, officially and openly about the liquidation of the state of Israel. And they hardly do anything", Olmert said about Iran's uranium enrichment activities, claiming it is a threat hovering over Israel and the international community that should be highly criticised. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad caused outrage in the West last year by calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map". Ahmadinejad has not since repeated that phrase but regularly launches verbal attacks on Israel, whose right to exist Iran has not recognised since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Iran is accused by the West of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, but Tehran insists it wants nuclear power only to generate electricity. Olmert's comments were heard at a ceremony honouring the largest donation ever to be received by Yad Vashem from one private donor. The donation, of 25 million dollars, was given by Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson, and will be used to expand Yad Vashem's outreach activities in Holocaust education and commemoration. This donation is highly appreciated especially at this time, as the tension over Iran's nuclear activities grows. Adelson's donation will be used for Yad Vashem's ongoing and future programs, such as the International School for Holocaust Studies, the new Holocaust History Museum and a "virtual school" which will serve as an online study centre and information source. Yad Vashem's goal is to reach broad and varied audiences around the world. Russia, the United States, Britain, France and China -- the five permanent council members -- plus Germany held their first meeting on Thursday on the draft resolution, which would ban Iranian trade in nuclear materials and ballistic missiles. Western intelligence experts estimate Iran remains three to 10 years away from an industrial-scale operation of thousands of centrifuges that could yield enough fuel for nuclear bombs. French President Jacques Chirac said in Beijing on Friday he supported temporary, reversible and specially adapted sanctions against Iran if talks over its nuclear programme failed. Speaking in Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the draft did not match previous agreements among the major powers seeking to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions, and predicted long negotiations before the issue is resolved. The United States had wanted to suspend Russia's construction of a nuclear power plant at Bushehr, which will be Iran's first atomic power station.

ITN Source | October 28, 2006

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