Iran has warned that it could send Revolutionary Guard naval units to escort humanitarian aid convoys seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza – a move that would certainly be challenged by Israel.

Any such Iranian involvement, raised today by an aide to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would constitute a serious escalation of already high tensions with Israel, which accuses Tehran of seeking to build a nuclear weapon and of backing Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls Gaza.

"Iran's Revolutionary Guard naval forces are prepared to escort the peace and freedom convoys that carry humanitarian assistance for the defenceless and oppressed people of Gaza with all their strength," pledged Hojjatoleslam Ali Shirazi, Khamenei's personal representative to the guards corps.

The threat came as the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, dismissed a UN proposal for an international commission to investigate last week's commando assault on aid ships, in which nine people died. Another aid ship, the Rachel Corrie, carrying Irish and other peace activists, was boarded peacefully by Israeli forces on Saturday, escorted to the port of Ashdod, and its passengers deported.

Netanyahu has defended Israel's right to maintain the blockade by arguing that without it Gaza would become an "Iranian port" and Hamas missiles would strike Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Israel's undeclared aim is to weaken or bring down the Hamas government.

Iran continued to exploit the "freedom flotilla" affair to lambast Israel. Its foreign minister, Manuchehr Mottaki, told the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Jeddah on Sunday that Israel's crime was "another instance of the Zionist regime's brazen and merciless treatment of Muslims, especially the oppressed Palestinian people."

Mottaki also called for a UN resolution condemning Israel. The security council is discussing imposing new sanctions on Iran because of its failure to meet international demands over its nuclear programme.

Iran and Israel have had no diplomatic relations since the 1979 revolution and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regularly predicts the disappearance of the Jewish state as well as denying the Holocaust.

Shirazi said Iran should encourage international efforts to break the blockade. "We should expose our enemies to spontaneous global action and not let them achieve their heinous goals," he was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards, which have a command structure separate from the regular armed forces, are fiercely loyal to the supreme leader. Khamenei has attacked the raid as a "mistake" that "showed how barbaric the Zionists are".

Israel's determination to strike at links between Iran and Hamas was dramatically demonstrated in January when presumed Mossad agents in Dubai assassinated Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, who was described as the Hamas official in charge of smuggling Iranian weapons into Gaza.

Israel's no-compromise attitude to aid convoys could be tested again after two Lebanese organisations pledged to send boats to Gaza in the next few days. Reporters Without Borders is attempting to assemble 25 European activists and 50 journalists for a boat leaving Beirut. The Free Palestine Movement is planning a similar attempt.

George Galloway, the founder of Viva Palestina, announced in London that two simultaneous convoys "one by land via Egypt and the other by sea" would set out in September to break the Gaza blockade. The sea convoy of up to 60 ships will travel around the Mediterranean gathering ships, cargo and volunteers.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/06/gaza-blockade-iran-aid-convoy

This will definitely cause fireworks. Hope it doesnt get this far.

http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.culture.scottish/2005-10/msg01528.html

ElRazur:

Beaf, I beg you be reasonable guy. Try and see things from the perspective of others at times, it may help.

Sending commandos to do their job is not a crazy stunt am afraid. While it may appear dramatic to the untrained eye, the whole aim is "Fast response" approach. So abseiling from a Heli with ropes while holding Semi-automatics is nothing but a highly skilled act.

To hit the point on the head, there probably would have been no violence if, it wasn't offered in the first place. That is the point, I was getting across.

A show of force usually means there is a respect for each other in the aftermath. Just look at the recent skirmish between NK and SK.

The flotilla incident leaves little room for anything other than chaos. The number of "peaceful protesters" outnumbers that of the second ship.

A high number of poorly organised armed men, gives a predictable outcome of chaos. A chaos that was met with disproportionate force by IDF who boarded the ship. [Not denying that].

The disorganisation was seen in the video posted when the ship was boarded. Assuming they all have sat down like they did in the second ship, perhaps we won't be having all of these discussion? Just a thought.

stiyke:

. . .

This will definitely cause fireworks. Hope it doesnt get this far.

Nah! Iran is just making noise. They have learnt from the totally different outcomes of Iraqs and North Koreas dally with acquiring nuclear bombs.

In one case, empty boasts and threats of the "mother and father of all wars" were hauled, whilst allowing UN inspectors to dig up the gardens of Presidential Palaces in their search for "the smoking gun". In the end, no "the smoking gun" was ever found. End result? The country was bombed to smitherens in a "shock and awe" operation and it's leader hung by his neck.
. . .Bad move Saddam! Experience now says, dont even go near there.

In the other case, the country acted dangerously stupid and crazy. They took to shooting long range missiles over Japan. Why? . . .We still don't know. They made being high on drugs look good, tested a nuclear weapon just when the World thought they couldn't do anything worse than they had till that moment. When the US provided statistics to proove that the explosion was only a little one anyway, they simply exploded a bigger bomb.
In recent times, just to remind the World that their madness index is still way off the scale, they sunk a South Korean warship (killing 46) for no reason. . . And denied it.
. . .Good move in Iran's books; North Korea is still alive and kicking despite being declared to be in the "axis of evil" alongside Iraq.

There is method in the madness.

Warmongers don full Nairaland oooooo.

.

stiyke:

. . .

This will definitely cause fireworks. Hope it doesnt get this far.

Nah! Iran is just making noise. They have learnt from the totally different outcomes of Iraqs and North Koreas dally with acquiring nuclear bombs.

In one case, empty boasts and threats of the "mother and father of all wars" were hauled, whilst allowing UN inspectors to dig up the gardens of Presidential Palaces in their search for "the smoking gun". In the end, no "the smoking gun" was ever found. End result? The country was bombed to smitherens in a "shock and awe" operation and it's leader hung by his neck.
. . .Bad move Saddam! Experience now says, dont even go near there.

In the other case, the country acted dangerously braindead and crazy. They took to shooting long range missiles over Japan. Why? . . .We still don't know. They made being high on drugs look good, tested a nuclear weapon just when the World thought they couldn't do anything worse than they had till that moment. When the US provided statistics to proove that the explosion was only a little one anyway, they simply exploded a bigger bomb.
In recent times, just to remind the World that their madness index is still way off the scale, they sunk a South Korean warship (killing 46) for no reason. . . And denied it.
. . .Good move in Iran's books; North Korea is still alive and kicking despite being declared to be in the "axis of evil" alongside Iraq.

There is method in the madness.

I think Iran wants to be "wiped off the map". Isreal is up to the task, no doubt about that. I wouldn't miss Iran anyway.

@Beaf,

I tend to disagree with u, if those aid convoys agree i think Iran will send the escort. The question is to what extent will the Revolutionary Guards escort the aid?? Will they try to escort them to Gaza port?? if they can escort them to Gaza port, then why would Iran be hiding behind aid convoys?? Why dont they (Iran) just come out and break the blockade?? In any case i know Isreali response will be swift.

Watching.

^
No, na shakara! If they try it, they will surely disappear in a puff of smoke. Israel cannot defeat Iran, but the US will summarily vaporise any adventurous Iranian escort.
There are more than enough US aircraft carriers and bases in proximity to the region. My broda, Ayatollah sef, get limit!

^^^^ @ beaf, like i told Prof Afam yesterday b4 he goes blindly supporting u he should evaluate his thinking

very Good response above, would Iran excort the boat to the port or decide to break the Blockage if they decide to break the blockade then we would have a problem, another war Looming.

lets watch and seee

Beaf:

^
No, na shakara! If they try it, they will surely disappear in a puff of smoke. Israel cannot defeat Iran, but the US will summarily vaporise any adventurous Iranian escort.
There are more than enough US aircraft carriers and bases in proximity to the region. My broda, Ayatollah sef, get limit!

Israel cannot defeat Iran ? Are you really serious about this statement ?

According to the reputable Global firepower site ( http://www.globalfirepower.com/index.asp), Israel is the 11th most powerful military in the world while Iran is the 18th.


Israel

PERSONNEL
Total Population: 7,112,359 [2008]
Population Available: 3,353,936 [2008]
Fit for Military Service: 2,836,722 [2008]
Reaching Military Age Annually: 118,134 [2008]
Active Military Personnel: 187,000 [2008]
Active Military Reserve: 408,000 [2008]
Active Paramilitary Units: 8,050 [2008]

ARMY
Total Land-Based Weapons: 14,200
Towed Artillery: 2,783 [2001]

NAVY
Total Navy Ships: 18
Merchant Marine Strength: 11 [2008]
Major Ports and Harbors: 4
Aircraft Carriers: 0 [2008]
Destroyers: 0 [2008]
Submarines: 3 [2008]
Frigates: 0 [2008]
Patrol & Coastal Craft: 13 [2008]
Mine Warfare Craft: 0 [2008]
Amphibious Craft: 0 [2008]

AIR FORCE
Total Aircraft: 1,230 [2003]
Helicopters: 386 [2003]
Serviceable Airports: 53 [2007]

FINANCES (USD)
Defense Budget: $18,700,000,000 [1999]
Foreign Exch. & Gold: $28,520,000,000 [2007]
Purchasing Power: $185,800,000,000 [2007]

OIL
Oil Production: 100 bbl/day [2006]
Oil Consumption: 249,500 bbl/day [2006]
Proven Oil Reserves: 2,000,000 bbl [2006]

LOGISTICAL
Labor Force: 2,894,000 [2007]
Roadways: 17,870 km
Railways: 853 km

GEOGRAPHIC
Waterways: 440 km
Coastline: 273 km
Square Land Area: 20,770 km



Iran


PERSONNEL
Total Population: 65,875,224 [2008]
Population Available: 39,851,026 [2008]
Fit for Military Service: 34,344,352 [2008]
Reaching Military Age Annually: 1,494,322 [2008]
Active Military Personnel: 545,000 [2008]
Active Military Reserve: 350,000 [2008]
Active Paramilitary Units: 11,390,000 [2008]

ARMY
Total Land-Based Weapons: 5,449
Tanks: 1,613 [2006]
Armored Personnel Carriers: 640 [2006]
Towed Artillery: 2,010 [2006]
Self-Propelled Guns: 310 [2006]
Multiple Rocket Launch Systems: 876 [2006]
Mortars: 5,000 [2006]
Anti-Tank Guided Weapons: 75 [2006]
Anti-Aircraft Weapons: 1,700 [2006]

NAVY
Total Navy Ships: 65
Merchant Marine Strength: 92 [2008]
Major Ports and Harbors: 3
Aircraft Carriers: 0 [2008]
Destroyers: 0 [2008]
Submarines: 3 [2006]
Frigates: 3 [2006]
Patrol & Coastal Craft: 140 [2006]
Mine Warfare Craft: 5 [2006]
Amphibious Craft: 13 [2006]

AIR FORCE
Total Aircraft: 84 [2006]
Helicopters: 84 [2006]
Serviceable Airports: 331 [2007]

FINANCES (USD)
Defense Budget: $6,300,000,000 [2007]
Foreign Exch. & Gold: $69,200,000,000 [2007]
Purchasing Power: $762,900,000,000 [2007]

OIL
Oil Production: 3,956,000 bbl/day [2007]
Oil Consumption: 1,630,000 bbl/day [2006]
Proven Oil Reserves: 136,200,000,000 bbl [2007]

LOGISTICAL
Labor Force: 28,700,000 [2006]
Roadways: 179,388 km
Railways: 8,367 km

GEOGRAPHIC
Waterways: 850 km
Coastline: 3,180 km
Square Land Area: 1,648,000 km





If it was not for the US, Israel might have attempted to blow up the Iranian Nuclear reactors.
Too late for that to happen now though.




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Iran is looking for an excuse to start a war with Israel. there is no way Israel will back off from any revolutionary guards nonsense. they will certainly board those ships, the guards will fire immediately, Israel will retaliate with greater force and  Iran will claim that as the attack took place in international waters it constitutes an act of war declaration and thus will legalize their upgrading to a status of a full war with Israel. those revolutionary guards will be massacred if the aid ships are stupid enough to accept the offer

Kgdavid:

Iran is looking for an excuse to start a war with Israel. there is no way Israel will back off from any revolutionary guards nonsense. they will certainly board those ships, the guards will fire immediately, Israel will retaliate with greater force and  Iran will claim that as the attack took place in international waters it constitutes an act of war declaration and thus will legalize their upgrading to a status of a full war with Israel. those revolutionary guards will be massacred if the aid ships are silly enough to accept the offer

I agree completely. But does it mean that Iran thinks it can defeat Isreal in the event of a full-blown war? That's madness. Even with zero support from Uncle Sam, I trust Isreal to throughly humiliate Iran and possibly turn it into a wasteland of sorrow, tears and blood. Despite the legendary extremism of arabs, I don't think Iran would be foolish enough to risk annihilation by going to war with Isreal.

there is david and goliat syndrome around this park. by the way goliat was defeated by the 12 years old david. the outcome of any event is known by God Almighty, alone, since it is a future that no one in the present knows, yet.

nopuqeater:

there is david and goliat syndrome around this park. by the way goliat was defeated by the 12 years old david. the outcome of any event is known by God Almighty, alone, since it is a future that no one in the present knows, yet.

The future has been predicted.

Read below and please feel free with your hordes of Hamas supporters to call me a Christian freak ! lol. 

Ezekiel 39:1-16
Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken. And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog. And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD. And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search. And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog. And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.

Judgement was decreed on your Nazi Hamas, Turkey , Iran and Syrian gang, 2,500 years ago.

Wait and see.


[flash=400,400]http://w428.photobucket.com/flash/tagWidget.swf?mediaURL=aHR0cDovL2k0MjgucGhvdG9idWNrZXQuY29tL2FsYnVtcy9xcTcvV3JhaXRoVmVyZ2VWZi0xMTMvaW52YXNpb25fb2ZfSXNyYWVsMi5qcGc%3D[/flash]

nopuqeater:

there is david and goliat syndrome around this park. by the way goliat was defeated by the 12 years old david. the outcome of any event is known by God Almighty, alone, since it is a future that no one in the present knows, yet.

the irony in your stupid comment is that David was a jew. The david and goliath issue here is a people of 6 million against 1 billion demons.

pro01:

I agree completely. But does it mean that Iran thinks it can defeat Isreal in the event of a full-blown war? That's madness. Even with zero support from Uncle Sam, I trust Isreal to throughly humiliate Iran and possibly turn it into a wasteland of sorrow, tears and blood. Despite the legendary extremism of arabs, I don't think Iran would be foolish enough to risk annihilation by going to war with Isreal.

not Iran now, but Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and even possibly Egypt, the American and Brittish support won't be as emphatic as before as public opinion in those countries has cowed their leaders into taking anti Israel stances so if there ever was a right time for Iran to strike Israel this would be it.

Kgdavid:

not Iran now, but Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and even possibly Egypt, the American and Brittish support won't be as emphatic as before as public opinion in those countries has cowed their leaders into taking anti Israel stances so if there ever was a right time for Iran to strike Israel this would be it.

Egypt and Iran do not get along, there is a sunni-shia split in the Arab world.  Israel has pretty decent relations with Egypt, jordan and saudi-arabia.  Syria,Iran, and Lebanon are the remaining nut cases.

frosbel:

Israel cannot defeat Iran ? Are you really serious about this statement ?

According to the reputable Global firepower site ( http://www.globalfirepower.com/index.asp), Israel is the 11th most powerful military in the world while Iran is the 18th.
. . .

Iranian tactics are off the unorthodox military scale and highly effective.
Engage your brains. Sometimes we make these funny comparisons without thinking. Hezbollah defeated Israel a couple of years ago, yet they were a comparatively poorly armed militia. The difference is that they used unorthodox Iranian tactics. Its tactics that win a war son. . . And don't forget we very recently saw macho, black attired, helicopter borne, abseiling commando's being thoroughly beaten up by civilian volunteer activists ; the Israeli army ain't what it once was.

It will take the US (no less) to win a war between Israel and Iran.

Beaf:

Iranian tactics are off the unorthodox military scale and highly effective.
Engage your brains. Sometimes we make these funny comparisons without thinking. Hezbollah defeated Israel a couple of years ago, yet they were a comparatively poorly armed militia. The difference is that they used unorthodox Iranian tactics. Its tactics that win a war son. . . And don't forget we very recently saw macho, black attired, helicopter borne, abseiling commando's being thoroughly beaten up by civilian volunteer activists ; the Israeli army ain't what it once was.

It will take the US (no less) to win a war between Israel and Iran.

uh oh . . . but i thought you made the claim that:

1. the "civilian volunteer activists" were simply "peaceful" activists attacked by Israeli commandos . . .

2. the videos were a manipulation by the Israeli foreign ministry?

Which are we to believe now?

davidylan:

uh oh . . . but i thought you made the claim that:

1. the "civilian volunteer activists" were simply "peaceful" activists attacked by Israeli commandos . . .

2. the videos were a manipulation by the Israeli foreign ministry?

Which are we to believe now?

Charlie, do peaceful men not fight when their homes are broken into? Have both sides not agreed that there were scuffles?
If the answer to the two questions above is "yes", then your contribution above is sailing off point.

Beaf:

Charlie, do peaceful men not fight when their homes are broken into? Have both sides not agreed that there were scuffles?
If the answer to the two questions above is "yes", then your contribution above is sailing off point.

there were 8-9 ships on the sea, all but one complied to Israeli instructions to dock in Ashdod and we heard no incidence of Israeli brutality or killings on board. What was different about this other ship?

Besides you still havent clarified the blatant contradictions in your analysis of events.

davidylan:

there were 8-9 ships on the sea, all but one complied to Israeli instructions to dock in Ashdod and we heard no incidence of Israeli brutality or killings on board. What was different about this other ship?

There is another thread dealing with this issue. No?
Besides, the was the lead ship in the convoy. Find that out and address it on the other thread (I'll gladly meet you there), I hate crossing threads.

davidylan:

Besides you still havent clarified the blatant contradictions in your analysis of events.

There are two unanswered questions that show that your analysis of my analysis is critically flawed.
Go answer those questions.

Beaf:

There is another thread dealing with this issue. No?
Besides, the was the lead ship in the convoy. Find that out and address it on the other thread (I'll gladly meet you there), I hate crossing threads.

and what has that to do with anything?

Beaf:

There are two unanswered questions that show that your analysis of my analysis is critically flawed.
Go answer those questions.

Typical. waste of space.

Engage your brains. Sometimes we make these funny comparisons without thinking. Hezbollah defeated Israel a couple of years ago,

you mean after the UN had to literally beg Israel from blasting lebanon into the Mediterranean? if you consider that a victory then you also think the taliban defeated the US in afghanistan.

bawomolo:

you mean after the UN had to literally beg Israel from blasting lebanon into the Mediterranean? if you consider that a victory then you also think the taliban defeated the US in afghanistan.

lol you think beaf has the capacity for intelligence?

davidylan:

lol you think beaf has the capacity for intelligence?

[size=36pt]. . .We all know davidylan is NL's village fool![/size]

www.nairaland.com/attachments/180447_ROTFLMAO_gif3d0c775232c7f27cf80592785b9635b6

An Al-Qaeda disgrace to his long suffering mother.

^^^ lol cute smiley.

bawomolo:

you mean after the UN had to literally beg Israel from blasting lebanon into the Mediterranean? if you consider that a victory then you also think the taliban defeated the US in afghanistan.

No. I recall belligerence from both sides until common sense prevailed and Israel withdrew.

Beaf:

Iranian tactics are off the unorthodox military scale and highly effective.
Engage your brains. Sometimes we make these funny comparisons without thinking. Hezbollah defeated Israel a couple of years ago, yet they were a comparatively poorly armed militia. The difference is that they used unorthodox Iranian tactics. Its tactics that win a war son. . . And don't forget we very recently saw macho, black attired, helicopter borne, abseiling commando's being thoroughly beaten up by civilian volunteer activists ; the Israeli army ain't what it once was.

It will take the US (no less) to win a war between Israel and Iran.

I'm trying to understand what you mean by "unorthodox tactics"; my guess is that you're talking about something similar to guerilla warfare - considering the examples (eg Hezbollah) you cited. You must however realize that such tactics cannot apply in a war between Iran & Isreal. Guerrila tactics have mostly been applied by locals to fight/ambush an invading army (especially infantry forces). This has been used over the ages (Vietnam, Taliban, Hezbollah, Iraqi rebels, etc.). Being that Isreal wouldn't necessarily invade Tehran with infantry units, I don't see how "unorthodox tactics" would be useful to Iran. Confrontation between both countries would be decided by whose military has superior war-heads, aerial fire-power, and sophisticated missiles and anti-missile systems. Isreal towers head and shoulders over Iran in these parameters, even without US assistance, and would have my bet to obliterate Iran.

Beaf:

Iranian tactics are off the unorthodox military scale and highly effective.
Engage your brains. Sometimes we make these funny comparisons without thinking. Hezbollah defeated Israel a couple of years ago, yet they were a comparatively poorly armed militia. The difference is that they used unorthodox Iranian tactics. Its tactics that win a war son. . . And don't forget we very recently saw macho, black attired, helicopter borne, abseiling commando's being thoroughly beaten up by civilian volunteer activists ; the Israeli army ain't what it once was.

It will take the US (no less) to win a war between Israel and Iran.

Enjoy.


I do not really like the horrible music, but the video shows only a minute aspect of Israel's might !!


Enjoy, 

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