Search Results for: Iran

The head of MI6, Britain’s Secret Service, said Iran was likely to succeed in building a nuclear bomb by 2014. “The Iranians are determinedly going down a path to master all aspects of nuclear weapons; all the technologies they need,” he said.

As Western oil sanctions take effect, Iran began shutting down oil production. Government censors warned Iranian media not to report negative economic news. To counter an Iranian threat to close the Gulf of Hormuz, the US deployed a floating operating base, mine sweepers, and sea drones to the Persian Gulf.

Iran accused French and German spy services of cooperating with the US and Israel in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists. An Iran state TV poll revealed a majority of Iranians wanted its nuclear program stopped in return for a lifting of economic sanctions.

Sanctions against Iranian oil exports took effect. Iran said it had a stockpile of money and goods to weather the sanctions. However, food prices and unemployment have risen. Iran called for an emergency OPEC meeting as oil prices fell.

Two days of talks between Iran and the six powers over Iran’s nuclear program produced no agreement. Further talks were scheduled for July 3 in Istanbul.

Iran and the six powers started a new round of talks over Iran’s nuclear program. After the first day, the two sides remained far apart. Mahmud Ahmadinejad has said he plans to leave politics next year after his second term as president ends.

Iran arrested suspects who are thought to be behind the killing of two nuclear scientists. Iran’s intelligence ministry claimed the suspects had ties to Israel.

Russia’s foreign minister planned to visit Iran to discuss its nuclear program and the situation in Syria. Iran’s oil income plummeted due to economic sanctions and falling oil prices. The US exempted seven countries from sanctions on importing Iranian oil; China and Singapore did not receive an exemption.

The UN’s nuclear inspection agency failed to reach an agreement with Iran over access to sites suspected of being used for testing nuclear weapon components. The failure dims prospects for higher level talks over Iran’s nuclear program scheduled for later this month.

In an escalation of the war of words, a senior Iranian military commander warned the US not to resort to military force as US bases in the region were vulnerable to Iranian missiles. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, threatened a “lightning response” to any Israeli attack and accused the West of telling “lies” to […]

The UN nuclear inspection agency showed satellite imagery indicating that Iran was attempting to clean up a possible nuclear weapons site. UN inspectors had previously requested access to the site but had been denied.