Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




NUKEWARS
US considers emergency hot line with Iran: official
by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) Sept 19, 2011


The United States is considering setting up a direct military hotline with Iran after a series of close encounters between US and Iranian forces in the Gulf, a defense official said Monday.

Fearing that a misunderstanding could lead to wider conflict, US officials are weighing establishing emergency communications but a final decision is still pending, said the defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"This idea has been circulating for a while in some places, but it's just that at this point: an idea. No such proposal has been reviewed by the secretary of defense," the official told AFP.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on the possible hotline, saying the United States was especially concerned about a fleet of speedboats that often challenge US and allied warships that transit the Persian Gulf.

The high-performance Iranian vessels are likely controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Tehran's elite military force, and can be equipped with missiles.

In recent months, a British destroyer fired warning shots at one of these boats as it appeared to be preparing to ram the larger ship, according to The Journal.

Iranian aircraft have also challenged US ships, the paper said.

At least initially, defense officials are interested in expanding navy-to-navy contacts with Iran to prevent miscalculations, The Journal said.

But the military remains wary of any direct engagement with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, due to its deep ties to Middle East militant groups that Washington has designated as terrorist organizations, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories.

It remained unclear if the hotline proposal has been informally raised with Iran, possibly through Iraq, The Journal said.

Iran's president and foreign minister will be in New York this week to attend the annual UN General Assembly meeting.

The Pentagon said that US forces would safeguard American interests and allies in the region.

"We continue to be concerned about Iran's destabilizing activities and ambitions, and we remain firmly committed to protecting our personnel, our interests, and our partners in the region," press secretary George Little said.

"We have consistently conveyed to Iran that it must halt its destabilizing behavior and avoid any provocations in the Gulf, Iraq, or elsewhere."

.


Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








NUKEWARS
Iraq pressing Iran to free US hikers: Zebari
Baghdad (AFP) Sept 16, 2011
Iraq's leaders, including the president and prime minister, have repeatedly called on Iran to release two US hikers convicted by Tehran for spying, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told AFP on Friday. Zebari said that while there was "cause for optimism" that the pair would be released, he noted that Iran had suggested it would do so in the past and not followed through. "We passed messag ... read more


NUKEWARS
United Launch Alliance Launches GRAIL Spacecrafts To Moon

NASA launches twin spacecraft to study Moon's core

Second bid to launch NASA's Moon-bound spacecraft

NASA to launch Moon-bound twin spacecraft

NUKEWARS
Opportunity on verge of new discovery

Opportunity Studies Chester Lake Rock Outcrop

Opportunity Inspects Next Rock at Endeavour

Opportunity Continues Early Exploration Of Endeavour Crater Rim

NUKEWARS
Astronauts dive deep in practice for asteroid visit

Virgin aims for first space launch within 12 months

Statement on Importance of Supporting Planetary Exploration

NASA Offers Shuttle Tiles And Space Food To Schools And Universities

NUKEWARS
Tiangong: Better Late Than Lost

Tiangong 1 might be launched in late September

Chang'e-2 moon orbiter travels around L2 in outer space

China State media says Tiangong 1 to launch in early Sept

NUKEWARS
Private US capsule not to dock with ISS

Crew safely returns to Earth after crash

Russia postpones next manned launch to ISS

Russia announces launch of 2 spacecraft in Oct-Nov

NUKEWARS
Arianespace to launch up to four satellites for DIRECTV

Build-up is underway for the no. 1 Soyuz to be launched from French Guiana

Space Systems/Loral Delivers ViaSat-1 Broadband Satellite to Launch Base

Arianespace to launch BepiColombo spacecraft

NUKEWARS
Astronomers confirm first planet orbiting two stars

Astronomers find extreme weather on an alien world

Latest Exoplanet Haul Includes Super Earth At Habitat Zone Edge

Invisible World Discovered

NUKEWARS
Vesta an asteroid full of surprises

Latest Tumbling Satellite Fails to Warrant Space Intercept

Google opening smartphone wallets

US satellite may crash back to Earth Sept 23: NASA




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement