Jahanshah Rashidian

While the third round of the UN sanctions and the ongoing escalation of violence, led by the Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq, are alarming bell of war in the region, the Iranian fanatic President, Mahmoud Ahmadinijad, announced today a new phase of atomic development in Iran.

According to the BBC Persian news, quoting Iranian news, 6,000 new centrifuges are to be set up in the next year to enrich uranium in Natanz's plant.

As expected, the western key powers, London and Paris, immediately reacted to the news by criticising the installation of new centrifuges as a continued defiance of international demands that it suspend uranium enrichment, which can produce fuel for a nuclear reactor or fissile material for a weapon.

"Today's announcement reflects the Iranian leadership's continuing violation of international obligations and refusal to address international concerns," said Gregory Schulte, the US representative to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency. "Iran's announcement today adds to the deep level of uncertainty and distrust of Iran's intentions," said a British diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

The new sanctions resolution of last March was not so harsh. It called for more travel and financial curbs on Iranian individuals and companies; and made some restrictions mandatory. The resolution also expanded a previous partial ban on trade in items with both civilian and military uses to cover sales of all such technology to Iran.

Supported by the IRI's two economic partners, Russian and China, the sanctions did not really punish the IRI but rather "to encourage Iran to talks" as expressed by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang. However, the IRI now pour oil on the flames by even ignoring its two partners who have already demanded Iran more transparency and cooperation with the international community.

All in all it seems the regime is deliberately provoking a dangerous escalation of conflicts unless does not believe in the possibility of US strikes because of the following reason:

--The US is now paralysed by being trapped in Iraq and Afghanistan.

-- The regime relies on the support of Russia and China and enjoys its status in the Muslim world by virtue of its posture as a "defender of Islam" against "Western colonial powers".

--The regime believes in a lack of steadfastness of US foreign policy because of the US presidential campaigns and Bush's unpopularity.

Under such calculations, the regime use the circumstances to safely drum up its conflicts without being much bothered.

Since the ultimate aim of the IRI is to survive in any price, through such an adventure, the regime benefit from the situation to further tighten its noose around the people's neck. Their, blessed, conflicts with the West are not to ensure the national interests or sovereignty of Iran but rather to prolong its own parasitic life in the detriment of a military adventure and dragging our nation to the edge of a lethal bur futile war.

In reality, the regime itself is the main aggressor and the main plague of Iranian people. In fact, the regime needs such conflicts to become a free hand to play the fear card to further repress not only its opposition, or even monopolise all power from its ,outside, factions, but also all the freedom loving people of Iran.