MEDIA REACTION: Iran

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001391

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA,
B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN
LONDON FOR TSOU
PARIS FOR ZEYA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PREL KDEM PGOV KU

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: Iran


Block Quotes
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1. Saturday, April 22, 2006

-- The moderate Arabic-language daily Al-Anbaa published "The
nuclear scenario" by Mr. Mifrih Al-Noumis Al-Anzy in which he wrote:
"There are four possible explanations for the current crisis in the
Gulf: one, Iran's interference in Iraqi domestic matters to cause
the failure of the American project in Iraq; two, Iran's possession
of nuclear weapons means that others will possess it also; three,
Israel's failure to balance the military power of Arabs and Muslims;
or, four, AMERICA and its allies see that the Iranian government is
radical and may use nuclear weapons for terrorist purposes."

-- The progressive Arabic-language daily Al-Qabas printed "Iran
bathes in acid water" by Mr. Ghassan Suliman Al-Otaibi in which he
stressed: "The boiling points between Iran and the international
community are threefold. In the Gulf, it is Iran's occupation of
the three islands belonging to the UAE and its threats to export its
revolutionary model to the Gulf States. In the Arab world, there is
no doubt about Iran's interference in Iraq and its goal to change
the demographics of the country to better the Shiites' situation.
Internationally, Iran insists on possessing nuclear technology
allegedly to be used for peaceful purposes."

-- The progressive Arabic-language daily Al-Qabas printed "The
Iranian nuclear program" by Mr. Qais Al-Ostah in which he wrote: "We
remind our neighbor that the Soviet Union after reaching the highest
levels of nuclear technology realized that the economic well-being
of its people was much more important than the any armament program.
The leaders in Iran must realize that the world has changed and if
there were to be a conflict it not only would be with the United
States of America, it also would be with the entire world, except
for Syria, HAMAS, and Hezbollah."

-- The moderate Arabic-language daily Al-Watan printed "Iran on the
Iraq path" by Dr. Ayed Al-Manaa in which he wrote: "Despite its
insistence on occupying the three islands belonging to the UAE and
the accusations by Americans and Iraqis of interference in domestic
matters, Iran's intentions in the Gulf are clear. It overlooked the
official and grassroots support for Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war.
Also, its opposition to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and its
agreement on military intervention in 1991 and 2003 show its
interest in peace."


2. Sunday, April 23, 2006

-- The progressive Arabic-language daily Al-Qabas printed "The
Iranian nuclear threat is the Iranian nuclear threat" by Mr. Badr
Khalid Al-Bahr in which he wrote: "We need to realize that water is
water, air is air, and that the Iranian nuclear threat is an Iranian
nuclear threat. Despite what Mr. Ghloum Abbas is trying to fool us
with. The Bushehr nuclear reactor is not an environmentally friendly
reactor with butterflies and mist coming out of it. Its waste is
contaminating the water of the Gulf from which we eat and drink."

-- The moderate Arabic-language daily Al-Watan published Dr.
Abdullah Khalifah Al-Shaiji's article titled "Who will stop a
nuclear Iranian superpower" in which he wrote: "Iran's nuclear
ambitions are not for the sake of having a nuclear umbrella over it
to protect the regime and avert dangers and stand in the face of
threats. It is meant to transform Iran into an undisputed regional
superpower so it can negotiate through its nuclear capabilities in
Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and the Gulf."

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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s

Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/

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LEBARON