Iran takes possession of Russian air defense missiles

Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin, current president of the UN Security Council, while not explicitly confirming the deal, said they had "nothing to do" with UN sanctions over Iran's nuclear program. Kommersant reports that Russia does not believe that the Tor-M1 missiles will change the balance of power in the region because the missles are "of medium range not designed for hitting ground targets."

Al Jazeera reports that Amr Moussa, the Arab League secretary-general, has told the World Economic Forum in Davos that attacking Iran would spread sectarian violence throughout the region.

Mr. Moussa said the United States needed to move from use of military force towards dialogue, to resolve the violence in Iraq and to reduce US-Iranian tensions. He said that he supported proposals for talks with Iran and Syria.

"If there were to be a war, other genies will get out of the bottle," he said. "You cannot imagine the impact on the Gulf countries, on the Mediterranean."

In an important policy speech Wednesday, the The Associated Press reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel will respond to an Iranian nuclear threat with "with all the means at our disposal." Mr. Olmert also said that he does not believe that the threat of a nuclear attack on Israel is imminent, and that there is still time for a diplomatic solution to the problem. But he added that the international community has no choice but to act against Iran, particularly after bellicose statements from Iranian President Ahmadinejad.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence, the Chicago Tribune reports that Russia is denouncing the US plan to build a system of missile sites in Eastern Europe. The US has said the system is designed to protect Europe against Iranian missiles, but Russia says that is nonsense since Iran "doesn't want or have" intercontinental ballistic missiles" capable of reaching Europe, and that the real target of the plan is Russia.

The Bush administration has argued that the shield is needed to defend Europe and the US against a potential attack from Iran or North Korea. While neither country has intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching Europe, the shield is warranted because both could one day develop that capability, US officials say.

Russian leaders derided that logic, instead insisting the defense shield was meant to target Russia and its vast nuclear arsenal. Russian Gen. Vladimir Popovkin, who commands a division of the Russian army in charge of space technology, said the system could "monitor rocket installations in central Russia and the Northern Fleet. Our analysis shows that the location of the US base would be a clear threat to Russia."

The Tribune also reports that many Russian analysts and diplomats believe that Russian gave the US "too much leeway" after the 9/11 attacks and that the US has encroached on Russia's sphere of influence to an unacceptable degree.

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