Iran Plays Cat and Mouse with the West
The Times wrote on February 4:
"President Ahmadinejad demonstrated yesterday that he has become a master of playing cat and mouse with the West — and this time the mouse was real. Once again, the Iranian leader offered a last-minute concession to head off the West’s drive for new sanctions against the Islamic republic [stating that Iran had "no problem shipping enriched uranium abroad"].
"At the same time, Iran thumbed its nose at UN restrictions on its ballistic missiles programme by sending a rocket into space carrying a mouse, two turtles and some worms...
"Mr Ahmadinejad hailed the launch as a breakthrough that would help to break 'the global domineering system' of Western powers. At a ceremony for a new satellite he said that Iran hoped to send astronauts into space soon. Western experts suggested that the space programme provided cover for the development of long-range missiles capable of carrying a nuclear pay-load... A senior Western diplomat acknowledged that Mr Ahmadinejad’s gambit could buy Iran more time."
