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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 27 January 2021
Iran: Biden won’t have infinite time to rejoin nuclear deal

By NASSER KARIMI creased its military drills, in-
Associated Press cluding firing cruise missiles
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran as part of a naval drill in the
warned the Biden admin- Gulf of Oman this month.
istration on Tuesday that it Iran has missile capability of
will not have an indefinite up to 2,000 kilometers (1,250
time period to rejoin the miles), far enough to reach
2015 nuclear deal between archenemy Israel and U.S.
Tehran and world powers. military bases in the region.
Iran also said it expects Last January, after the U.S.
Washington to swiftly lift killed a top Iranian general
crippling economic sanc- in Baghdad, Tehran retali-
tions that former President ated by firing a barrage of
Donald Trump imposed on ballistic missiles at two Iraqi
the country after pulling bases housing U.S. troops,
America out of the atomic resulting in brain concus-
accord in 2018, as part of sion injuries to dozens of
what he called maximum American soldiers.
pressure against Iran. In a separate development
Trump cited Iran’s ballis- Tuesday, Iranian state TV
tic missile program among said Iran successfully tested
other issues in withdraw- sophisticated technology
ing from the accord. And In this file photo released Jan. 16, 2021, by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, a missile is launched for light-based data trans-
when the Trump admin- in a drill in Iran. fer known in science as en-
istration increased sanc- Associated Press tanglement-based secure
tions, Iran gradually and on a wide range of issues, step further away from the ever, either for the U.S. or quantum cryptography at
publicly abandoned the including climate change nuclear deal by imposing a the European members of a distance of 1.6 kilome-
deal’s limits on its nuclear and immigration. Though “restriction” on inspections the nuclear deal to fulfill ter (1 mile) in the capital,
development. The remarks Biden has pledged to re- by the U.N. nuclear watch- their commitments,” Rabiei Tehran. The technology is
Tuesday by Iran’s Cabinet turn to the nuclear deal, dog in late February. added.Tensions between expected to allow for a
spokesman Ali Rabiei are Rabiei said there has yet In December, Iran’s par- Tehran and Washington secure way of sharing se-
part of pressure that Teh- to be any communication liament approved a law have steadily increased. cret information between
ran is trying to exert on the between Iran and Biden under which part of the During Trump’s final days as remote users. The coun-
U.S. as it seeks to increase on the subject. “The U.S. inspections that the deal president, Tehran seized a try’s nuclear department
its leverage and get the will not have all the time had provided for would South Korean oil tanker and chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, said
Biden administration to in the world,” Rabiei said. be suspended in February begun enriching uranium Iranian experts embarked
quickly return to the deal. “We are waiting for the offi- if European signatories to closer to weapons-grade on the encryption technol-
President Joe Biden has cial announcement of their the 2015 nuclear deal do levels, while the U.S. has ogy, which only a few in
moved swiftly to dismantle stance as well as the lifting not offer relief from oil and sent B-52 bombers, the USS the world have mastered
Trump’s legacy by signing of sanctions.” banking sanctions. Nimitz aircraft carrier and so far, in 2018 and hope to
a series of executive ac- In the meantime, he add- “The window of opportu- a nuclear submarine into use it in satellite communi-
tions that reverse course ed that Iran would take a nity will not be open for- the region. Iran has also in- cations by 2025. q

Israeli military chief warns of new plans to strike Iran

JERUSALEM (AP) — Isra- ing of crippling economic program is for peaceful
el’s military chief Tuesday sanctions. Israel strongly purposes only.
warned the Biden admin- opposed the deal, saying Kochavi said that given
istration against rejoining it did not include sufficient the threat posed by Iran,
the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, safeguards to prevent Iran Israel’s military would be
even if it toughens its terms, from developing a nucle- prepared to attack on its
adding he’s ordered his ar weapon. It welcomed own if needed.
forces to step up prepara- the Trump administra- “I instructed the army to
tions for possible offensive tion’s withdrawal from the prepare a number of op-
action against Iran during agreement in 2018. erational plans in addition
the coming year. Biden has said he will seek to the existing ones,” he
The comments by Lt. Gen. to revive the deal, with said. “We are taking care
Aviv Kochavi came as Is- some changes. of these plans and will In this Nov. 12, 2019 file photo, Aviv Kochavi, hold press
rael and Iran both seek to In his address, Kochavi develop them during the conference following the killing of a senior Islamic Jihad
put pressure on President said a return to the deal, coming year. Those who commander in Gaza by Israel, in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Joe Biden ahead of his even with some improve- decide on carrying them Associated Press
expected announcement ments, “is bad operation- out, of course, are the po- for long,” said Iran’s Cabi- eliminate “sunset” provi-
on his approach for deal- ally and it is bad strategi- litical leaders. But these net spokesman Ali Rabiei. sions that phase out cer-
ing with the Iranian nucle- cally.” He said allowing plans have to be on the Israeli officials, including tain limits on Iran’s nuclear
ar program. In Iran, leaders Iran to proceed with a nu- table.” Just hours before Kochavi, say that Iran is in activities, address Iran’s
said they would not wait in- clear program would be Kochavi spoke against a a much weaker position long-range missile pro-
definitely for Biden to act. “an unacceptable threat deal, Iran prodded Biden than in 2015 after years gram and its military in-
The 2015 deal put curbs and will lead to nuclear to rejoin the atomic ac- of sanctions by the Trump volvement and support for
on Iran’s nuclear program proliferation across the re- cord. “The window of op- administration. They say Israel’s enemies across the
in exchange for the eas- gion.” Iran says its nuclear portunity will not be open that any new deal should region.q