U.S. has "ideas" on Iran scientist killer: Panetta

[Ghundal]

EL PASO, Texas (Reuters) - The United States has ideas about who may have assassinated an Iranian nuclear scientist this week but doesn't know for sure and was not involved in any way, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told U.S. soldiers on Thursday.

"I can tell you one thing: The United States was not involved in that kind of effort. That's not what the United States does," Panetta told a town hall meeting of soldiers at Fort Bliss.

"We have some ideas as to who might be involved but we don't know exactly who was involved," he said, adding that "we were not involved in any way, in any way, with regards to the assassination that took place there."

Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, 32, was killed by a motorbike hitman who put a magnetic bomb on his car on a busy street near a Tehran university during the morning rush hour on Wednesday.

Iran blamed Israeli and U.S. agents of being behind the killing but insisted it would not derail Tehran's nuclear program.

It was the fifth daylight attack on technical experts involved in Iran's nuclear program in two years. The bomb also killed Ahmadi-Roshan's driver and wounded a passer-by.

(Reporting By David Alexander; Editing by

[Ghundal]

Is this is now acceptable in international affairs?

Isnt this surprising?

There appear to be no condemnations at all.

[Admin Khan]

This is unacceptable.

[کیش]

This is how international affairs work now a days.

This act is better then an Israeli airstrike, wouldnt you agree?

[Ghundal]

Killing of people (professors, students,etc.) is never good, so I don't know what the heck you are talking about?

They will probably close the Strait of Hormuz

[کیش]

^^

I highly doubt that, my son. Iran isn't as powerful as they make themselves seem. Their commercial airliners are one of the worst in the world. It seems a plane goes down every other month. This is due to sanctions, they can't take anymore sanctions.

Edit response

Where was a student killed? He was a nuclear scientist. An Asset for the Iranian forces, this was a good strategic move in Israeli's part. A genius one I might say.

[Ghundal]

Israel appears to be afraid to openly declare war on Iran

You got it completely the other way.

What is Israel waiting for? They attacked Lebanon and Gaza, didn't they? What's with all their talk and this?

Its doubtful Iran will sit and do nothing especially with sanctions and this.

Gas is already going up due to all this

[کیش]

Israel doesn't appear to have the guts to openly declare war on Iran

You got it completely the other way.

What is Israel waiting for? They attacked Lebanon and Gaza, didn't they?

I doubt Iran will sit and do nothing especially with sanctions and this.

Gas is already going up due to all this

You really don't no anything about warfare. Why would Israel go full-force now? They are killing assets slowly, to weaken Iran. How come Iran hasn't responded? Wheres their ballistic and scud Missliles they claim they possess? You know Israel has these weapons, Iran is the bluffer.

Mossad is entrenched all over Iran, Iran can't even get inside Israel if they try.

[Levanaye Zalmaye]

This is how international affairs have been run ever since the first two tribes came into contact with each other in antiquity. Every state has power and it employs that power to increase its power and prestige. Moral considerations are secondary and that's why the US and lady liberty overthrow a reactionary dictator in Iraq for the sake of democracy whilst still in bed with another one in Saudi Arabia. Those states that don't adapt, develop or defend themselves are preyed upon. It's as simple as that. This is how the Ottoman Caliphate functioned and this is how the British Empire played the game. The US and Israel have the best intelligence agencies in the world and if Iran is to compete with them, it has to up the ante.

The US and Israel know that they can't attack Iran. Not now anyway. And the more they wait, the deeper they dig themselves in because Russia and China are looking to expand in the region. They are no longer "okay" with the US' increasing presence in their backyard. So they use otherwise 'terrorist' tactics to at least attempt to slow down Iran's nuclear program or to show the Iranian regime that it has its agents hiding amongst its populace. This may even have been in retaliation to the death sentence that was given out only last week to the American agent, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati.

In fact, the US got the Saudis to hand over another Iranian nuclear scientist to them in 1999 only. He was picked up while performing Haj. Full story here.

On the other hand though, Iran has declared today that despite the Gulf of Hormuz buildup and this recent attack, they are willing to enter into another round of negotiations.

TEHRAN — Ali Larijani, the influential speaker of Iran's parliament, said Thursday during a visit to Turkey that his country was ready for "serious" talks with world powers on its controversial nuclear programme.

In comments reported by the official IRNA news agency, Larijani said: "The negotiations can yield results if they are serious and not a game."

He noted an offer made last week by Turkey to host the talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany, and said "we have given our agreement" to that proposal.

Iran has several times said it is willing to resume those talks, which collapsed a year ago.

But the office of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the world powers, has said it is still waiting for Tehran to formally respond to a letter she sent in October last year offering to return to the talks.

Larijani's call came after an assassination in Tehran on Wednesday of a nuclear scientist and increased Western sanctions on Iran's economy.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is for exclusively peaceful purposes.

But most Western countries believe it masks a drive to develop nuclear weapons -- a suspicion strengthened though not confirmed by a November report by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

AFP

[Ghundal]

The Persian Empire historically acted cautiously in antiquity

The danger is if they continue to be pushed and Gulf States act against them, then they become more dangerous

They will obviously ask for talks to buy time as they go ahead in developing their nuclear technology

Iran is a regional power with a somewhat modern defense capabilities compared to others.

There is probably going to be a war. Israel deeply wants it, and is trying to draw the US to start it.

Iran can't respond to this yet because Israel will deny it.

These attacks actually don't do anything,

It makes Iran more secretive by the day.

[khushal]

"Moral considerations are secondary and that's why the US and lady liberty overthrow a reactionary dictator in Iraq for the sake of democracy whilst still in bed with another one in Saudi Arabia"

I think you should reconsider that statement. Most people would find it hard to back that claim up with evidence and especially those who have actually visisted the country.

.

That statement is fact. they used saudi bases to invade iraq the first time to build bases in kewait and used those bases to invade iraq the second time. not to mention the us having strategic relationship with the saudis. keep the oil flowing and we will protect you relationship.

[khushal]

Is this is now acceptable in international affairs?

Isnt this surprising?

There appear to be no condemnations at all.

This is acceptable under the table but not openly, that is why Israel and the US condemned the assasination even though they most likely cooperated to accomplish this task. Who else would have interest in doing it.

No this is not surprising. This is called a soft war. Those Iranian Americans visiting Iran should be nervous because the Iranian regime is nervous and may jail innocents, suspecting anyone with American connection as spies.

[Afghanistan2010]

This is unacceptable.

Hypocrisy of the west.