It’s been less than a week since the general elections came to a conclusion amid increasing controversies and allegations of a rigged poll. Iranian hardliner President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad got re-elected and has become even more firm on his decision to make Iran a nuclear state. Many experts believe that Iran simply wishes to use their ‘nuclear active’ status to affirm its stronghold as a major player in the middle eastern affairs.

In a recent statement released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has been speculated that Iran is closer to being a nuclear power than previously perceived. This comes in the wake of the increasing threat speeches delivered by Tehran for Israel, Unites States and any country that might hinder its nuclear ambitions.

According to ElBaradei;

“My gut feeling is that Iran definitely would like to have the technology … that would enable it to have nuclear weapons if they decided to do so. Iran wants to send a message to its neighbors, it wants to send a message to the rest of the world: ‘Yes, don’t mess with us, we can have nuclear weapons if we want it.’ But the ultimate aim of Iran, as I understand it, is that they want to be recognized as a major power in the Middle East—and they are.”

Taking the newest unofficial nuclear state, that is North Korea into consideration, Mohamed ElBaradei (Director General, IAEA) stressed on the fact that countries with nuclear capabilities are treated differently and perhaps with more caution as against the non-nuclear states. However, this statement is not entirely inaccurate. In the case of Iraq, the United States launched a massive military operation accusing Iraq of hiding WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction). But as far as North Korea is concerned, a military action has been ruled out many a times for the sole reason that Pyongyang has now acquired nuclear capabilities. After the two underground nuclear tests and the test firing of their short-range ballistic missiles, that are capable of reaching and delivering nuclear payloads in the heart of Seoul, South Korea, United States and all major powers have been urging North Korea to come to the negotiation tables, instead of taking a concrete action against it.

The above statement reflects upon Iran’s state of mind and their firm resolve to establish themselves as major power in the middle eastern theater, thereby hoping to compel Israel to start some sort of a dialog pertaining to the Palestinian liberation. So far, Iran has said that it will continue pursuing its nuclear ambitions and it as already expanded its uranium enrichment program. Inspite of all these statements, Tehran still maintains that, its intentions are peaceful, concentrating only on meeting Iran’s energy needs and it does not wish to achieve weaponized levels of uranium.

Still, it does not even come close to putting the doubts of the international community to rest, as falling of Iranian nuclear weapons into the hands of the extremists pose a clear and present danger. It has already been proven without the shadow of a doubt that, Iran was in-fact supporting Hezbollah both tactically and logistically in the Israel-Hezbollah war of 2006. Furthermore, Iran has been on a high state of alert since the talks of a ‘regime change’ has been circulating in the United Nations Security Council any by other powerful nations.

Via The Cutting Edge News