Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

·Top officials of the United States and Israel reiterated their calls for increasing pressure on Iran.
·Rice also said that there's no point in talking to Iran's government.
·True diplomacy "is not a synonym for talking," but must be combined with pressure tactics. 

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice delivers remarks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington June 3, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Top officials of the United States and Israel Tuesday reiterated their calls for increasing international pressure on Iran.

    "Our partners in Europe and beyond need to exploit Iran's vulnerabilities more vigorously and impose greater costs on the regime economically, financially, politically and diplomatically," Rice told a policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israeli lobby group.

    "A regime that denies the Holocaust, threatens and murders its neighbors citizens, and seeks to destroy a member of the United Nations should not be allowed to cross the nuclear threshold," Rice said, referring to strong anti-Israel statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

    Citing Iran's insistence to hold its nuclear right, Rice also said that there's no point in talking to Iran's government "while they continue to inch closer to a nuclear weapon."

    True diplomacy "is not a synonym for talking," but must be combined with pressure tactics, Rice noted.

    Despite its refusal to have talks with Iran over nuclear issues, Washington denied speculation that the U.S. may resort to military strike against Iran, and says it remains ready to talk to Iran about improving security in Iraq.

    Visiting Olmert also told the conference that "Israel will not tolerate the possibility of a nuclear Iran, and neither should any other country in the free world."

    "The Iranian threat must be stopped by all possible means. International economic and political sanctions on Iran, as crucial as they may be, are only an initial step, and must be dramatically increased," Olmert said.

    The United States, Israel and other Western countries fear that Tehran is trying to build nuclear weapons secretly. Iran insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

    The UN Security Council has imposed a series of sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program since December 2006.

Iran vows to persevere on peaceful nuclear program

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks at a ceremony to mark the death anniversary of the Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini at Khomeini's shrine in southern Tehran June 3, 2008. Iran will not bow to Western pressure and stop its nuclear programme, Khamenei said on Tuesday.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    TEHRAN, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran vowed Tuesday to continue its nuclear program, while rejecting to pursue nuclear weapons, the state television reported.

    Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated the stance in a televised speech at a ceremony honoring Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.  Full story

Iran says IAEA report proves no deviation in nuclear program

    TEHRAN, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran said on Sunday that the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) proved that there is no deviation in Iran's nuclear program from civilian purpose, the official IRNA news agency reported.

    The report, which was prepared by IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, also indicated that all Iranian sites have been under the IAEA full supervision, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said.

    "The report also said that all the agency's findings are in full conformity with Iran's nuclear activities" at the enrichment facilities in Natanz, central Iran, he said.  Full story

Iran continues to cooperate with IAEA as other members

    TEHRAN, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Wednesday that Tehran continues its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) just like other members, Iran's Press TV satellite channel reported.

    "Iran is continuing its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, as a signatory to the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, just like an ordinary IAEA member," Mottaki was quoted as saying after a cabinet meeting. Full story

Iran warns against West's "deception" on nuclear issue

    TEHRAN, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Iran's new parliament speaker Ali Larijani said on Wednesday that Western powers should not practice any "deception" over its nuclear issue, warning that Tehran could impose new limits on its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.

    "The West must stop its secretive diplomatic scheme of passing Iran's nuclear case back and forth between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Group of 5+1," state radio quoted Larijani's address at the parliament as saying.  Full story