globalEyeNews Video Report: Rice Says Iran Must Suspend Nuclear Activities "If Iran's rulers choose to continue down a path of confrontation, the United States will act with international partners" US continues its May 2006 offer to support a civil nuclear program in Iran under international supervision.
Washington last week announced sanctions on over 20 Iranian companies, banks and individuals, hoping to increase pressure on Tehran to stop uranium enrichment and reprocessing and curb its "terrorist" agenda.
The banks affected are Bank Melli, Iran's largest bank, Bank Mellat and Bank Saderat. Several international banks have halted transactions with Iran. Some foreign banks have closed accounts held by Iranian firms.
Iran has been under various U.S. trade and other sanctions since after the 1979 Islamic revolution, when Washington severed ties with Tehran. Under U.S. pressure, Western banks have either cut all dealings with Iran or limited their activities there.
The United States imposed sanctions on Bank Mellat and other Iranian banks and bodies, including Iran's Revolutionary Guards, to counter what it said was Tehran's bid to build an atomic bomb and its support for terrorism. These new sanctions have resulted from Iran coninuing to spurn the US May 2006 offer to support a civil nuclear program in Iran under international supervision.
In her remarks, Rice stated, "We and our partners remain fully committed to a diplomatic solution with Iran. On our behalf, the EU's Javier Solana reaffirmed that offer to Iran this week. Unfortunately, the Iranian Government continues to spurn our offer of open negotiations, instead threatening peace and security by pursuing nuclear technologies that can lead to a nuclear weapon, building dangerous ballistic missiles, supporting Shia militants in Iraq and terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories and denying the existence of a fellow member of the United Nations -- threatening to wipe Israel off the map."
Rice also stated, "Many of the Iranian regimes' most destabilizing policies are carried out by two of its agencies: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or the IRGC, and the Quds Force, an arm of the IRGC.
Because of the Revolutionary Guard's support for proliferation and because of the Quds Force support for terrorism, acting under U.S. law and consistent with our international obligations, the United States today is designating both of these groups.
We are similarly designating three Iranian state-owned banks: Bank Melli and Mellat, for their involvement in proliferation activities, and Bank Saderat as a terrorist financier. We are also designating several additional Iranian individuals and organizations."
Along with Rice, Treasury Secretary Paulson said, "We are designating Iran's Bank Melli, Bank Mellat, and Bank Saderat. These are three of Iran's largest banks. They all have facilitated Iran's proliferation activities for its support of terrorism.
We are also designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for proliferation activities and its Quds Force for providing material support to the Taliban and other terrorist organizations.
The IRGC is so deeply entrenched in Iran's economy and commercial enterprises, it is increasingly likely that if you are doing business with Iran, you are doing business with the IRGC.
We call on responsible banks and companies around the world to terminate any business with Bank Melli, Bank Mellat, Bank Saderat, and all companies and entities of the IRGC.
In dealing with Iran, it is nearly impossible to know one's customer and be assured that one is not unwittingly facilitating the regime's reckless behavior and conduct.
The recent warning by the Financial Action Task Force, the world's premier standard setting body for countering terrorism finance and money laundering, confirms the extraordinary risks that accompany those who do business with Iran."
Washington has also said Bank Mellat and its subsidiaries provide banking services in support of Iran's nuclear activities, including the country's Atomic Energy Organisation.
globalEyeNews Video Report: Iran Military Drill Flaunts Swastika Desecrated US Flag & Star of David Plundered by Sword Iran Military Ripping Through Swastika Desecrated US Flag Video Excerpts of Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei Inspecting Military Foot-Drills Depicting Sword of Ali Ripping through a Swastika Desecrated US Flag and a Star of David.
globalEyeNews Video Report: US Sanctions Iran Precursor to Military Action or Diplomacy? US brands Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a proliforator of WMD
Although she heralds a committed US position on diplomacy, many believe these new harsh sanctions are a precursor to US military action, a move that conservative Republicans are wont for President Bush to initiate before he leaves office in 2009.
ABC News Video on Demand 9/11 Mastermind Confesses Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confesses to dozens of major terrorist attacks.
According to a 26 page transcript released this week by U.S. military officials, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confessed to being the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, attacks. Speaking through a military representative, Mohammed stated, "I was responsible for the 9/11 operation, from A to Z,".
Other statements delivered by him during a March 2007 U.S. military tribunal included taking credit for the brainstorming and planning of 31 major terrorist plots and operations worldwide. The laundry list includes the 1993 and 2001 World Trade Center attacks, a thwarted 1995 plot to blow up as many as 12 U.S. commercial airliners, the October 2002 Bali, Indonesia nightclub bombing, a 1995 plot to assassinate Pope John Paul II, as well as, schemes to assassinate former Presidents' Carter and Clinton, to name a few.
Perhaps the most grim of all, perhaps, was his claim that he personally beheaded Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002. "I decapitated with my blessed right hand the head of the American Jew, Daniel Pearl, in the city of Karachi, Pakistan", he was recorded as saying, according to the transcript. "For those who would like to confirm, there are pictures of me on the Internet holding his head."
Mohammed's meteoric rise in the al Qaeda ranks began in Afghanistan, soon after he graduated from from North Carolina A&T University where he earned a degree in engineering. He purportedly hooked up with al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in 1996, whom he stoically compares to patriot and freedom fighter George Washington, as was reported in the ABC News video.
A question arises, among a proliferation, how often has the institution of American education been leveraged against the the American public at large and why does it continue? Are the tuition dollars the only consideration when it comes to educating those outside the U.S.?
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(Katie Couric: Eye to Eye) Couric speaks with Michelle Obama about how her two young daughters are coping with their father's surge in popularity as his presidential campaign gains momentum. (CBS News On Demand)
The Silent Congo War: With over 1,000 people continuing to die each day from conflict-related causes, five million have perished in seven years, more than any other conflict since WWII. Perhaps the most unimaginable aspect of all is the widespread use of genocidal rape as an instrument of war by both sides of the conflict.
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