* Iran offered engagement with 'certain expectations' * Report reveals mission to disrupt atomic ambitionsThe US president-elect, Barack Obama, said yesterday that he would act swiftly once in power to confront Iran, vowing to take a new approach focused on dialogue but warning Tehran that there were limits beyond which it should not go.Speaking on network television nine days before taking office, Obama said Iran was going to be one of the biggest challenges his incoming administration faced. He said Tehran's "exporting of terrorism through Hamas and Hezbollah" and its pursuit of an atomic weapon could trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.A new US approach would be adopted, with engagement as its starting point, said Obama, adding that he would send out a signal "that we respect the aspirations of the Iranian people, but we also have certain expectations of how an international actor behaves."One of the earliest decisions for Obama and his foreign policy team, led by Hillary Clinton, will be to decide whether to continue the covert operations programme started by the Bush administration last year. The mission is designed to block any attempt by Iran to build a nuclear weapon by breaking its supply chain of essential parts from abroad and by applying experimental techniques to disrupt essential computer and electrical systems. Details of those operations were disclosed by the New York Times yesterday.
The US president-elect, Barack Obama, said yesterday that he would act swiftly once in power to confront Iran, vowing to take a new approach focused on dialogue but warning Tehran that there were limits beyond which it should not go.
Speaking on network television nine days before taking office, Obama said Iran was going to be one of the biggest challenges his incoming administration faced. He said Tehran's "exporting of terrorism through Hamas and Hezbollah" and its pursuit of an atomic weapon could trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
A new US approach would be adopted, with engagement as its starting point, said Obama, adding that he would send out a signal "that we respect the aspirations of the Iranian people, but we also have certain expectations of how an international actor behaves."
One of the earliest decisions for Obama and his foreign policy team, led by Hillary Clinton, will be to decide whether to continue the covert operations programme started by the Bush administration last year. The mission is designed to block any attempt by Iran to build a nuclear weapon by breaking its supply chain of essential parts from abroad and by applying experimental techniques to disrupt essential computer and electrical systems. Details of those operations were disclosed by the New York Times yesterday.
Iran has called on US President-elect Barack Obama not to repeat what it said were false accusations levelled against the Islamic Republic by the outgoing administration in Washington. The United States accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons and President George W. Bush has spearheaded a drive to isolate Tehran internationally. Tehran denies the charge. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman also suggested Tehran would respond in an "appropriate and timely" way to any change in US behaviour towards the country, which is embroiled in a row with the West over its disputed nuclear plans. Iran, which has not had diplomatic ties with the United States in three decades, has reacted cautiously to Obama's election victory, saying it is waiting to see whether his presidency will herald real change in US foreign policy.
Iran has called on US President-elect Barack Obama not to repeat what it said were false accusations levelled against the Islamic Republic by the outgoing administration in Washington.
The United States accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons and President George W. Bush has spearheaded a drive to isolate Tehran internationally. Tehran denies the charge.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman also suggested Tehran would respond in an "appropriate and timely" way to any change in US behaviour towards the country, which is embroiled in a row with the West over its disputed nuclear plans.
Iran, which has not had diplomatic ties with the United States in three decades, has reacted cautiously to Obama's election victory, saying it is waiting to see whether his presidency will herald real change in US foreign policy.
President George Bush expanded covert action intended to sabotage Iran's suspected effort to develop nuclear weapons last year after sanctions failed to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, The New York Times has reported. The paper said the Bush administration briefed Israel on the covert programme after Washington turned down an Israeli request for a new generation of bunker-busting bombs required for a possible attack on Iran.President Bush also rejected a request for Israeli planes to cross Iraqi air space in case of Israeli strikes on Iran. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported last September that the Israeli requests had been spurned."The Israelis backed off their plans, at least temporarily," the New York Times said. "But the tense exchanges prompted the White House to step up intelligence-sharing with Israel on new US efforts to subtly sabotage Iran's nuclear infrastructure, a major covert program that Mr Bush is about to hand off to President-elect Barack Obama."The clandestine US programme, started in early 2008 according to the paper, includes fresh American efforts to penetrate Iran's nuclear supply chain abroad, "along with new efforts, some of them experimental, to undermine electrical systems, computer systems and other networks on which Iran relies."
President George Bush expanded covert action intended to sabotage Iran's suspected effort to develop nuclear weapons last year after sanctions failed to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, The New York Times has reported.
The paper said the Bush administration briefed Israel on the covert programme after Washington turned down an Israeli request for a new generation of bunker-busting bombs required for a possible attack on Iran.
President Bush also rejected a request for Israeli planes to cross Iraqi air space in case of Israeli strikes on Iran. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported last September that the Israeli requests had been spurned.
"The Israelis backed off their plans, at least temporarily," the New York Times said. "But the tense exchanges prompted the White House to step up intelligence-sharing with Israel on new US efforts to subtly sabotage Iran's nuclear infrastructure, a major covert program that Mr Bush is about to hand off to President-elect Barack Obama."
The clandestine US programme, started in early 2008 according to the paper, includes fresh American efforts to penetrate Iran's nuclear supply chain abroad, "along with new efforts, some of them experimental, to undermine electrical systems, computer systems and other networks on which Iran relies."
"oh look how bush saved Israel. Isn't he great ? Obama wants to talk to these people, you can't trust Obama. vote republican." keep to the Fen Causeway
