Iran closer to developing nuclear weapons

Nagasaki Nuclear Bomb (1945)

Iran seems to have developed another capability which will accelerate its ability to perhaps make nuclear weapons:

January 31, 2013

Iran is planning to install new equipment at its main nuclear enrichment facility that could refine uranium much faster than its current machines.

Diplomats speaking to Western news media on the condition of anonymity said Thursday Iran has notified the International Atomic Energy Agency that it wants to install the modern centrifuges at the Natanz site in central Iran.

Natanz contains an underground plant with thousands of centrifuges for purifying uranium for use as a nuclear fuel. Low-enriched uranium can be used to fuel nuclear power plants, while highly enriched uranium is needed for nuclear weapons. http://www.voanews.com/content/iran-plans-nuclear-equipment-upgrade/1594296.html

January 31, 2013

Iran is poised for a major technological update of its uranium enrichment program, allowing it to vastly increase production of the material that can be used for both reactor fuel and nuclear warheads, diplomats told The Associated Press Thursday…

One of the diplomats said Iranian officials informed the Vienna-based nuclear watchdog that they planned to mount as many as 3,132 of the new-generation centrifuges…

Mark Fitzpatrick, an expert on Iran’s nuclear program and the director of the nonproliferation and disarmament program at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the new machines “could be a game-changer, depending on how many they introduce.”

The introduction of the machines, if confirmed, “does suggest that they made a breakthrough, and are moving from the research and development phase to employing them to enrich uranium,” Fitzpatrick told CBSNews.com the IR-2M machines can enrich uranium “four to five times faster” than other centrifuges in use at Iran’s plants.

If confirmed by IAEA inspectors, “this will reduce the timeline for Iran being able to produce a weapon’s worth of fissile material,” added Fitzpatrick. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57566820/iran-to-upgrade-nuclear-program-with-faster-ir-2m-centrifuges-to-speed-uranium-enrichment-diplomats-say/

Since both the USA and Israel have stated that it was unacceptable for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, the time for additional intervention by one or both of those countries may be nearer (WND reported that there was sabotage at a nuclear facility last week, but I have not seen much in the way of collaboration of that–it also reported that Iran is trying to protect its nuclear program from sabotage Sabotage alert: Iran moves to secure nuke facilities).

As regular readers of the COGwriter news page are aware, I have been warning for some time that a regional war involving Iran, Israel, the USA, and/or Syria seems likely. And Iran keeps taking steps which may help it get ready for such a war.

Since Iran, however, is NOT really south of Jerusalem (though it may support such a king per certain interpretations of the peoples listed in Ezekiel 30:1-9), it will not be the final King of the South of Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:40-43). Because of that, I have tended to believe that Iran may somehow get “neutralized” before this final king rises up. A serious attack by the USA and/or Israel may neutralize Iran and much of its influence. It also may take a regional war for the seven-year confirmation of the deal in Daniel 9:27 to come about.

My reading and re-reading of Bible prophecy simply does not show that Iran will be a major player in Daniel 11:21-44 nor the deal of Psalm 83:4-8 (Arabs, Turks, and Europeans are); though Ezekiel 30:1-9 possibly implicates Iran as a supporter of an end-time confederation involving Egypt.

“Neutralizing” Iran would allow most of the other Islamic states (like Saudi Arabia and Egypt) to continue to exist (Syria might not do well per Isaiah 17:1) and allow for the rising of the prophesied King of the South to rise up (revolution in Iran, is also another possibility, for its “neutralization”).

Iran wants to prepare and bring about the arrival of the Imam Mahdi

Since Iran is aware of USA and Israeli intentions, why does it continue to take such steps? Because of its religious beliefs and objectives. Notice one report:

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei… has been heard to say that the coming of the last Islamic Messiah, the Shiites’ 12th Imam Mahdi, is near and that specific actions need to be taken to protect the Islamic regime for upcoming events. Mahdi, according to Shiite belief, will reappear at the time of Armageddon. Selected forces within the Revolutionary Guards and Basij reportedly have been trained under a task force called “Soldiers of Imam Mahdi” and they will bear the responsibility of security and protecting the regime against uprisings. Many in the Guards and Basij have been told that the 12th Imam is on earth, facilitated the victory of Hezbollah over Israel in the 2006 war and soon will announce publicly his presence after the needed environment is created. http://www.wnd.com/2012/01/iran-preparing-now-for-armageddon/, January 24, 2012)

Since Iran’s President’s Ahmadinejad’s term ends on 3 August 2013 and he indicated he wanted to cause the Mahdi to arrive before he leaves office (e.g Farah J. Iran Leader’s Messianic End Time’s Mission. World News Daily, January 6, 2006), he may cause enough chaos to try to cause this to happen soon. Various prophecies of the Mahdi state that he would return in an even numbered year, like the one beginning with the end of 2012 (Zumwalt J. Iran’s Dynamic Duo Dedicated to Global Destruction. August 13, 2010. http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=38528), since the Islamic calendar runs differently than the Roman calendar). The Mahdi is supposed to be recognized in an even numbered year, and the current Islamic year 1434 runs from November 15, 2012 to November 3, 2013. So, this could be a year (as can future ones).

To push this further, apparently in March 2011, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad approved a video that quotes someone as saying this Imam Mahdi leader arrives after a time of great earthquakes and sedition. It shows photos of American, Jewish, and European leaders that it does not approve of. It says that, according to the Hadith, Iran is to be among the “preparers” for the arrival of the Imam. It blames the USA and its allies for causing Islamic fear-mongering since 9/11/2001. The video indicates that Islamic writings have warned that westerners would invade the Middle East first and its suggests that Iraq and other western military interventions are proof that the Imam Mahdi is about to appear. It tells that a time of Arab cooperation is prophesied, while also claiming that annihilation of the “Zionist regime” needs to happen prior to the arrival of the Mahdi.

And the video goes further. It says that the Hadith tells of a leader named Abdullah, states that the ill King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is the first Abdullah leader in a hundred years, and then it cites something that states when Abdullah dies the reappearance is guaranteed. It claims that Iran is the most powerful force in the Middle East. It claims that their prophecies state that a Seyed Khorasani will turn Jerusalem over to the Imam Mahdi. It discusses prophesies that Islamic antichrists must rise up and hints that the Free Masons, with their influence on American, European, Israeli, and apparently certain Arabic, leaders, has fulfilled this. Although the video shows Hosni Mubarak along with a prophecy that the leader of Egypt must die prior to the arrival of the Imam Mahdi, Hosni Mubabarek is no longer the leader of Egypt and did not die–but since he has been ill, he certainly could die soon.

It also essentially tries to explain who is Seyed Khorasani (the current top leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei). It also says that 72 months prior to the arrival of the Imam Mahdi that Seyed Khorasani will appoint Shoeib to assist. It then asks if “Doctor” Ahmadinejad could be the Shoeib. It shows Ahmadinejad making various speeches and discusses him taking over Jerusalem in the future–and prior to the arrival of the Imam Mahdi. It basically ends with stating that the Imam Mahdi will rise up soon and that all should praise God with Jihad.

Thus, as the video illustrates, the leadership of Iran basically believes that it needs to cause military conflict in order to provoke the arrival of the Islamic leader called the Imam Mahdi. And apparently developing nuclear weapons is considered a factor that can speed up this arrival in their view.

Israel does not wish to tolerate or allow a nuclear Iran

Yet, the reality is that Israel has stated that it cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran. And leaders in the USA have suggested that it knows that the USA itself may intervene and attack Iran. But if the USA and Israel do hit Iran, Iran would likely not fare well, but that does not mean that the USA would not suffer.

The USA, as is Europe, is vulnerable to being hurt by EMP weapons (which Iran may have), chemical weapons (which at least Syria has), dirty bombs (which Iran already can make), terrorism (which Iran sometimes sponsors), and biological weapons (which both Iran and Syria likely have). Although the USA (nor Europe) will NOT to eliminated by this type of conflict, the USA certainly could be partially or even greatly weakened by these type of attacks. And they could trigger civil unrest in Europe and elsewhere.

If there currently is a “King of the West,” it would currently seem to be the USA, and the Bible does not seem to show it existing much into the Great Tribulation (cf. Daniel 11:39). It likely will be weakened in many ways. Thus, unlike the military interventions in places like Iraq, do not be surprised if the USA itself is not to be unscathed if it engages Iran and/or Syria. This would not be the Great Tribulation per se, but part what Jesus called “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:4-8) that could help further weaken the USA and make it more vulnerable for being taken over.

Iran keeps taking steps suggesting that it is expecting such conflict.

Some articles (and books) of possibly related interest may include:

Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2012, 2013, or 2014? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What is the seven-year deal? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States–Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon’s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States–Amazon Kindle edition.)