American is rejecting Iran’s response, calling it inadequate regarding the call from the international community for Tehran to ship uranium out of the country. As a result, US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley released a statement, calling Iran’s response “inadequate” since Iran told UN officials it is rejecting the demands to export uranium in accordance with the schedule set forth.

While the State Department is signaling the need for harsher sanctions, when the six major powers convened to meet on the matter, it was clear China opposes the move, sending a low-level official to the meeting. The meeting included the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, United States, China, France, Britain and Russia, along with Germany, taking place in the NYC office of the European Union.

While American officials are signaling progress, stating all concerned are moving in the same direction, it is clear that stiffer sanctions are not happening immediately, with Russia releasing a statement that no definitive decision was reached at the meeting.

While Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continue to defy the western world, back at home in Jerusalem, concerns are growing as most experts feel the window of opportunity to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear independence is rapidly closing. During recent weeks, a number of high-level secret meetings took place in Jerusalem and it was leaked that Iran was on the agenda. This includes recent meetings held with US National Security Advisor James Jones and special Mideast advisor to US President Barak Obama, former ambassador Dennis Ross.

Israel continues to hope for increased sanctions and a diplomatic response that will ease the situation but senior government officials also state openly that the military option has not been taken off the table. Time is on Iran’s side for the latest act of defiance is resulting in additional meetings, nothing more, and in the interim, uranium enrichment continues in Iran.

According to Chief of Military Intelligence Major-General Amos Yadlin, the “technological clock” is ticking rapidly in Iran, resulting in kilograms of enriched uranium daily. Addressing members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee, the top intelligence official issued yet another ominous warning that time is rapidly running out. He spoke of the rapid enrichment of low grade uranium and plutonium, adding American diplomatic sanctions have failed, explaining for as long as Iran is not under immense pressure, Tehran sees no need to halt the program.

Yadlin warned that statements made by Ahmadinejad should be taken seriously for Iran “exports ideology, weapons, a doctrine of warfare, military training and money on land, sea and air to Syria, Gaza, Sudan and Yemen”.

By the most optimistic accounts, a military assault by Israel would demand American support, still presenting an array of concerns. America’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen continues to warn that an Israeli strike against Iran would “destabilize” the entire region.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)