NATO planning strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
Dated 16/1/2006
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Limited military strikes on select secret Iranian nuclear sites are being planned by NATO, the Pentagon and some US allies, after concrete intelligence about Iran's WMD programme was revealed by the IAEA.
Western diplomats said that Iran's secret facilities at Isfan and the more sophisticated uranium enrichment plant at Natanz could be initially targeted, although the fully underground Natanz facility is air strike proof.
Natanz is causing greater concern since no Russian expert has visited it nor has Iran sought foreign participation on it.
The US and NATO are evaluating CIA and other intelligences that Iran has almost produced five to six crude atomic devices which can delivered by air, and there is overall agreement between America and a key Nato state, Germany, that the Iranian threat must be countered before it becomes blackmail.
Britain and Germany have mobilised all their resources to stymie Iranian adventurism, while president George W.Bush has authorised select diplomats to persuade important countries to join any showdown with Iran.
The idea is that military strikes could impress Iran to seriously consider deweaponisation, the preparedness for this will be reached by early April, and diplomats said it would have full UN sanction.
