Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis    

    By Xu Yanyan

    TEHRAN, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran's disputed nuclear issue in 2007 has come through the most dangerous period in the past several years, with rife rumors that the United States might launch a military strike against Tehran's atomic facilities in April.

    Even though the war didn't come, the U.S. and Israel have never ruled out the possibility of an attack, warning "every means to resolve the nuclear issue are on the table." Meanwhile, the UN Security Council also issued two sanction resolutions against Iran, demanding it to suspend the sensitive uranium enrichment. However, Tehran refused to comply under the outside pressure, using dual tactics to cope with Western threat and successfully gained the imperative time to perfect its nuclear development.

    IRAN CROSSES SWORDS WITH WEST TIT FOR TAT WITH VERBAL WARS

    Since the first sanction resolution was issued last December, senior Iranian officials have kept their defiance towards the UN demand, and repeatedly vowed to press ahead their nuclear program.

    On Jan. 8, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "there's no doubt the Iranian nation won't retreat from their right (of nuclear technology) and officials of the country have no rightto retreat from the nation's right".

    President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in February also described Iran's nuclear development as a running train without reverse gear and brakes, drawing great criticisms from international community.

    The supreme leader has the final say on all national matters inIran, the remarks mean the hardline nuclear policy of the current administration has got his full support.

    Besides the verbal war, Iran's nuclear program actually made remarkable progress in the past months.

    Just days after the United Nations passed the second sanction resolution, Ahmadinejad on April 9 announced his country became one of producers of nuclear fuel at industrial level in the world, underlining that world powers cannot stop Iran's nuclear drive from getting progress.

    Ali Larijani, Iran's former chief nuclear negotiator, also warned that Iran may reconsider its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and retreat from Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the West continued to press Tehran over nuclear issue.

    These announcements sharply trembled the world, the U.S. immediately said the declaration of Ahmadinejad illustrates that UN sanctions against Tehran were "justified".

    IRAN'S PRACTICAL COUNTERMINES: DRILLS AND BRITISH SAILORS INCIDENT

    Besides the verbal war, Iran staged several large-scale military drills since the beginning of this year, apparently aimedat showing the country's readiness to confront any foreign attack.

    The elite Islamic Revolution Guards troops on Jan. 21 conducted a three-day military drill, tested Zalzal and Fajr-5 short-range missiles to examine their fighting capability. The war game also coincided with the occasion that the United States just deployed its second aircraft carrier to the Gulf region at that time, obviously a tit-for-tat action.

    In the early days of January, deputy commander of Iran's Basij (militia) said if the West continue to impose pressure against the Islamic Republic due to the nuclear issue, Iran would close off the strait of Hormuz, the life channel of world's energy transportation. local analyst said the test of Zalzal and Fajr-5 missiles were aimed at proving Iran's capability to block the crucial strait. 

    On Feb. 19, the Revolution Guards staged the largest military drill in last Iranian calendar year (ending on March 20, 2007) across the country, with a series of short, medium and long-range missile tests. The war game dubbed Eqtedar (Grand) were carried out in 16 of Iran's 30 provinces, with the attendance of 20 brigades of Revolution Guards' ground forces.

    Relations between Iran and the West escalated seriously when the Iranian border authorities detained 15 British sailors and marines and accused them of entering Iranian territorial waters illegally.

    During 13 days of the crisis, Iran said the seized military personnel "admitted" the fact of their "illegal entry" and British Prime Minister Tony Blair had delivered an "apologizing letter" to Tehran, which was denied by London.

    Iran also aired video footage of the detained sailors and showed "confessing letter" of one female detainee, drawing great anger from the British side. London said the so called "confess" was forced by Iranian authority and such kind of broadcasting were "totally unacceptable."

    When the sailors were released on April. 3, Ali Akbar Velayati,foreign policy advisor to Iran's supreme leader, said his country had "achieved its objectives" on the British sailors detention issue. He failed to disclose details of the "objectives", but it was widely believed by local analysts that it suggests Iran have" effective measures" to confront Western countries and it was an warning to them not to impose too much pressure on Tehran over the nuclear issue.