debkafile: Iran’s ex-president Hashemi Rafsanjani ends Damascus talks on redoubling pressure on Washington

The day after the announcement of Iranian success in producing uranium enrichment, Tehran’s most adept diplomat, Expediency Council head Hashemi Rafsanjani, arrived in the Syrian capital Wednesday for four days of talks. debkafile‘s sources report that after publicly declaring Iran’s nuclear aims were “purely peaceful”, Rafsanjani embarked on secret talks with Syrian leaders on ways of working together to raise war tensions in Iraq and the Lebanese-Israeli border.
They describe Tehran’s motives as being to try and put the Americans on the spot of having to appeal to its clerical leaders for a key to a political solution and calm in Iraq. Israel is to be taught a lesson by being shown forcefully who controls Hizballah’s terrorist campaign and apprised of Tehran’s deepening grip on the Palestinians. Iran seeks to drive home its ability to open yet another front against Israel.
These demonstrations come in the wake of Iran’s failure to achieve the desired propaganda and deterrent effect sought by its large-scale military maneuvers earlier this month and the daily unveiling of purported new weaponry. Yet another clandestinely procured piece of hardware is promised for next week. A senior military source told debkafile that Iran’s “striptease” – far from deterring the Americans has made them an intelligence gift of data on Iran’s arsenal and its weaknesses. The exhibits displayed thus far appear to be still in stages of development and nowhere near operational.