Israel Matzav

Saudi daily on Bushehr: Military option may be best solution

Here's part of a MEMRI translation of an editorial that appeared in the Saudi daily al-Madina on Sunday. The editorial is discussing last Thursday's announcement that Russia will begin loading nuclear fuel into the Bushehr reactor on Saturday.

"More importantly, by means of this action, Tehran is moving its conflict with the international community into high gear, and [in this case] some may consider the military option to be the best solution. [Delaying recourse to this option] may lead to a point where it is impossible to implement it – if Tehran manages to produce a nuclear bomb of its own.

"What is of concern is [the fact] that the Bushehr reactor is closer to several Gulf capitals than to the Iranian capital itself, as well as the fact that it is very near the crucial oil routes which pass through the Arabian Gulf – placing the neighboring countries in great danger, both in the event of an attack and in the event of radioactive leakage. Moreover, [the Bushehr reactor] may become the site where Tehran will develop its nuclear weapons, which it may use to impose demands or exert pressure on the region. This is a suspicion that Iran has not managed to refute to date.

"If Tehran is interested in the success of its nuclear program for peaceful purposes, and if it wants to make progress in order to ensure prosperity for its people, it must maximize its cooperation with the IAEA. The IAEA, for its part, must display a little flexibility with Tehran, since... equipping the reactor with nuclear fuel is the point of no return. When this happens, the Bushehr reactor will become a facility for nuclear energy.

I wonder if the Saudis are worried enough about this to allow the Zionist entity's planes to cross their country on the way to Tehran.

Heh.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:24 PM