What's the significance of Iran's revealing of their response to the UN's deal on August 22nd?

Question

Are they actually planning something or is this stuff I'm hearing just fearmongering speculation? Is there any proof they may be AND have the capability to do something serious to Israel or the West?

Answer 1

You are right, on August 22nd Ali Larijani, hand delivered Iran's response to UNSC 1696 the package of incentives to dissuage Iran from uranium enrichment. Iran's top nuclear negotiator said today that Tehran was ready to enter "serious negotiations" over its disputed nuclear program but did not say whether it was willing to suspend uranium enrichment — the West's key demand. At least no one got nuked today.

Some people alleged that on August 22nd an attack was planned.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the man to watch these days. Leaders of the Iranian hard-line regime, believe they have a direct line to God, and they'll do whatever 'divine inspiration' requires them to do. Talking to them is pointless.

Ahmadinejad, rejected a UN Security Council resolution that would give Iran until Aug. 31 to suspend uranium enrichment. Ahmadinejad promised to respond to European and American demands to cease his country's illicit nuclear programs on August 22.

On Saturday, August 19, Iran launched a large-scale area, sea and ground exercise he maneuver, the Blow of Zolfaghar (the sword used by Imam Ali), which involved 12 divisions, army Chinook helicopters, unmanned planes, parachutists, electronic war units and special forces. Iran's state-run television reported that the new anti-aircraft system was tested "to make Iranian air space unsafe for our enemies."

On Sunday, August 20, in the Kashan desert about 250 kilometers southeast of the capital of Tehran, Iran tested the Saegheh missile which has a range of between 80 to 250 kilometers. Saegheh means lightning in Farsi. (The language of Iran is not Arabic and Iranians are not Arabs.)
Iran's arsenal also contains the Shahab-3 missile, which means "shooting star" in Farsi, and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. It has a range of more than 2,000 kilometers and can reach Israel and US forces in the Middle East.
Iran's military test-fired a series of missiles during large-scale war games in the Persian Gulf in March and April, including a missile it claimed was not detectable by radar that can use multiple warheads to hit several targets simultaneously.

On August 8, 2000, the Wall Street Journal published comments by Prof. Bernard Lewis, the great scholar of Islam and the Middle East:

"In Islam, as in Judaism and Christianity, there are certain beliefs concerning the cosmic struggle at the end of time - Gog and Magog, anti-Christ, Armageddon, and for Shiite Muslims, the long awaited return of the Hidden Imam. Mr. Ahmadinejad and his followers clearly believe that this time is now, and that the terminal struggle has already begun and is indeed well advanced. It may even have a date, indicated by several references by the Iranian president to giving his final answer to the U.S. about nuclear development by Aug. 22. This was at first reported as "by the end of August," but Mr. Ahmadinejad's statement was more precise."

Revolutionary Iran habitually links fundamentalist symbolism to political events.

Prof. Lewis explains the significance of Aug. 22 and adds ominously:

"This might well be deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic ending of Israel and, if necessary, of the world. It is far from certain that Mr. Ahmadinejad plans any such cataclysmic events precisely for Aug. 22. But it would be wise to bear the possibility in mind."

There are three issues that coincide with August 22, 2006.

1. It will mark the anniversary of a sacred event on the Islamic calendar: The 27th day of the month of Rajab of the year 1427CE (632 A.D.) is the day when many Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhammad (miraj) on the legendary winged horse Buraq, first to "the farthest mosque," (in Jerusalem) and then to heaven and back. Islam has its own lunar calendar so that Islamic holidays correspond to different dates each year on the Gregorian calendar.

2. This date roughly coincides with another event 240 years earlier — the conquest of Jerusalem by the Muslim warrior Saladin, the arch-enemy of the crusaders.

3. It is perhaps the date that the Mahdi, (the guided one, the 12th Imam) is expected to appear (zuhur). Shiites believe Imam Mahdi will bring with him a new period of Islamic justice.

Lailat al Miraj (27 Rajab, 22 August 2006)
The festival is celebrated by telling the story of how the Prophet Muhammad was visited by two archangels while he was asleep, who purified his heart and filled him with knowledge and faith.

According to Islamic tradition, the Prophet travelled from Mecca to Quds (Jerusalem) in a single night on a strange winged creature called Buraq. From Quds he ascended into heaven lighting up the skies over the holy city in his wake. The divine white light that over Quds spread over the whole world.

Those who have mentioned the Mabath, Shiites focus on the 27th of Ramadan 610 AD (not the 27th of Rajab) as the date that the Archangel Jibril (Gabriel) Allah appeared before Muhammed in a cave in Mount Hira and told him he had been chosen as the prophet to spread the divine message across the world and gave him the first five verses of the first chapter, Surat al-Alaq. Mabath means the one appointed. This night of appointment is also know as the night of revelation, the night of might, destiny and the precious night. Yowm al Mabath (Day of appointment) is marked by Shiites in Iran and other parts of the Middle East with great ceremony. For 2006 Ramadan will begin September 24 and end on October 23, with the
Eid Al-Fitr.

Finally, the solar eclipse that occurred on March 29, 2006 was visible in most of the Arab world (Europe, Asia and Africa) and may have had prophetic significance. There is mention of an eclipse that heralds the appearance (zuhur) of the Mahdi.

The Ist, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar are considered to be sacred months. Following the Islamic calendar and the Qur'an, the 7th month of Rahab ends on August 24, 2006 The 11th month, Dhul-Qi'dah begins November 22, 2006, the period between these dates would be a time permissible for aggressive jihad.

Qur'an Sira Barã´ah 9:5
Once the Sacred Months are past, (and they refuse to make peace) you may kill (fight and slay)the pagans (idol worshipers) when you encounter them, punish them, and resist every move they make. (and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war); If they repent and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), you shall let them go (open the way for them). Allah is Forgiver, Most Merciful. (Khalifa translation)

After the sacred months, (the grace period of four months) have expired, slay them wherever you find them. Seize them, besiege them and lie in ambush for them at all possible places. But if they repent, establish ‘salat’, and pay the ‘zakat’, then let them go their way. Of course, Allah is the most Forgiving and the most Merciful. (Munir Munshey translation)

فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الْأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُوا لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَوةَ وَءاتَوْا الزَّكَوةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
Fa-itha insalakha al-ashhuru alhurumu faoqtuloo almushrikeena haythu wajadtumoohum wakhuthoohum waohsuroohum waoqAAudoo lahum kulla marsadin fa-in taboo waaqamoo alssalata waatawoo alzzakata fakhalloo sabeelahum inna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun

No one wins in a war. Property can be restored, but even a lifetime is not long enough to resolve grief over a lost loved one.

Since Muslims, Jews and Christians have messianic beliefs, maybe praying for the messiah to come and bring lasting peace before the world destroys itself would be a win-win-win solution

Answer 2

http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=23800

It does not matter if you believe, it is if they believe. Nothing is as dangerous as a religious fanatic, It does not really matter what religion. More people have been killed in God's name than in any other.

They will do something toward Israel either directly or indirectly through Hezbollah and Syria. Will they do it on August 22? Who knows. I do believe there will be some saber rattling, and rhetoric aimed at the UN and the west in specific. What ever they have planned has been thought about for some time. Hopefully there will be a thoughtful response rather than a jerk knee response. In either case, these are interesting times. It isn't like the movies, the good guys don't always win.

Answer 3

When atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the terms religious fanatics never existed. When we dropped those bombs on innocent civilians, no body called american the religious fanatics. Israelis should be happy to see well armed Iran with nuclear capability, so there is a balance of power in the region. take the example of India and Pakistan. I think balance of power is in the best interest of Israel in that region. If I am guiding Israeli politics, i would let Iran become the atomic power, and peace will follow as was the case with Russia and USA, USA and Korea, India and Pakistan.

Answer 4

Iran is still thumbing its nose at the U.N. and everyone else.