Gary Fitleberg, December 26, 2004

According to the Associated Press, Iran's air force has been ordered to shoot down any unknown or suspicious flying objects in Iran's airspace, an air force spokesman said yesterday, amid state-media reports of sightings of flying objects near Iran's nuclear installations.

Flying-object fever has gripped Iran after dozens of reported sightings in the summer and in recent weeks. State-run media has reported sightings of unknown objects flying over parts of Iran where nuclear facilities are located.

"Flights of unknown objects in the country's airspace have increased in recent weeks... [they] have been seen over Bushehr and Isfahan provinces," the Resalat daily reported yesterday. There are nuclear facilities in both provinces.

The timing of the reported increase in sightings, coming as the United States is urging allies to confront Iran over its nuclear program, has strengthened Iranian public perceptions that the objects are surveillance or hostile aircrafts monitoring Iran.

Iran's air force chief, General Karim Ghavami, was quoted yesterday as saying that Iran was fully prepared to defend any threat to its nuclear installations. "We have arranged plans to defend nuclear facilities from any threat. Iran's air force is watchful and prepared to carry out its responsibilities," he was quoted as saying.

The daily Resalat had reported that "shining objects" in the sky were seen near Natanz, where Iran's uranium enrichment plant is located, noting that one had exploded, causing "panic in the region."

Iran, labeled a member of the "axis of evil" by U.S. President George W. Bush, is accused by the United States of developing a clandestine nuclear weapons program. Israel has hinted it may strike Iran's nuclear facilities if international pressure fails to permanently freeze Iran's nuclear activities. Iran has denied the U.S. charges, saying its nuclear program is geared toward generating electricity, not nuclear weapons.

Iran agreed last month to suspend uranium enrichment and all related activities under a deal reached with the European Union, helping it to escape referral to the U.N. Security Council and the possible imposition of sanctions.

Iran says it already possesses the technology to control the entire nuclear fuel cycle - from mining uranium ore to enriching it. Uranium enriched to a low level is used as fuel to generate power in nuclear reactors and further enrichment of uranium can be used to make a bomb.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2004 Gary Fitleberg