Report: Iran testing long range missiles

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Iran appears to be raising the stakes in a nuclear standoff with word today that it test fired several missiles.

Including a long range variety that could hit Israel and American targets in the Persian gulf.

Right now there are 1101000.

US troops within range of that missile.

And this comes as a new report says the Pentagon is beefing up our presence in the gulf sending in more navy ships and doubling the number of mine sweepers assigned to the area.

Michael Adler is a public policy scholar at the Wilson Center Michael it's also my understanding that you have attended most of the negotiating sessions.

With Iran in recent memory is that true yes yes -- -- All right so as you look at both sides of the you're running inside and basically the rest of the world that wants them to drop their nuclear program.

What are you -- what what can you tell us about the approaches.

Is that each side is taking.

Well.

The approach to the United States at this point is to try to get.

Some sort of concrete results mainly that they stop enriching uranium to weapons that are closer to weapon grade.

And the United States in Moscow and Istanbul Baghdad and Moscow the last.

Three sites of talks has been very insistent that a concrete confidence building measure be made by Iran.

Before they can be any lifting of sanctions or any move.

Towards lifting sanctions will launch a manned launching a missile hardly seems like a confidence builder.

I would say that that missile launch that tests which was already in progress.

Is not a military threat is definitely a political signal.

And what -- -- is saying is that we want to do this on her own terms.

We feel that if we say that we have a fatwa against in -- against making nuclear weapon.

That should be enough for the guaranteed -- you that we will not seeking to nuclear weapons and they also are trying to get.

-- concessions from.

The west on the basis of things that they are already under.

Investigation by the UN nuclear watchdog.

And under sanctions by the UN Security Council.

Not to do.

So.

There's a sense that Iran.

Is on creating -- facts on the ground.

Then trying to negotiate from those points and trying to avoid facing the main issue which is answering questions about their nuclear work.

You say your amazed at how little both sides understand about each other.

It is certainly won't -- to look at that is is a massive case of misunderstanding.

The -- is approached the talks from the -- from the aspect of -- bit of their pride all of that being knowledge of taking their word.

On the other side.

The United States is very nuts and bolts saying you weren't supposed to do this you're you're not -- UN resolutions about this.

You must.

Function within the framework of those resolutions before we can be begin to deal to deal with you.

Well you know I've raised a number of children and that's how you deal with children you set expectations you set goals and if they don't meet them they get punished what's wrong with doing that with -- wrong.

I think one thing that happens especially in Moscow.

Is that the Iranians were surprised at the intransigence of the United States and its five negotiating partners.

And this is been a long process this crisis has been going on since 2002.

The diplomacy isn't going Johnson's 2003.

And I think from the US.

Point of view.

It's time to make very clear at this certain things have to be done if progress is to be made now at the same time -- feels that.

The -- law against nuclear weapons the fact that they're talking there's already a great step forward.

And the United States should be honoring that and -- from that Michael Adler Michael thanks very much for joining us thank you very -- And happening now will be.

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Report: Iran testing long range missiles

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