Nuclear Iran

Iran is one of the important countries in the world. For several years, a serious foreign policy controversy has been brewing in the mid east concerning the nuclear ambitions of the Iranian authorities[1]. Neighbours like Israel, and in fact the international community, have repeatedly voiced concern about these efforts. In recent months, the leaders of Israel have stated that if Iran acquires nuclear weapons it will be a serious threat to peace and stability in the region. Consequently, Israel has declared its preparedness to strike at Iran in an effort to destroy these capabilities, much as it did by bombing the Osirak nuclear facilities in Iraq in 1981. Iran has already developed its own long range missiles capable of carrying such weapons.

Based on the national horoscope for Iran, with the pesent collective identity seen to be originating in the event when the Islamic Republic was proclaimed, significant difficulties are seen ahead for the country during the summer of 2009. Similar difficulties are seen in the horoscope of its secular leader, President Ahmadinejad. Significant strains are also seen in the charts of Israel and USA in the Autumn of 2009 involving foreign policy.

Origins of Iran
The name Iran derives from Aryan, and means "Land of the Aryans"[2]. The country has special geostrategic significance due to its central location in Eurasia, being bordered on the north by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Russia, to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan, on the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and on the west by Turkey and Iraq. Iran is a regional power and holds an important position in international energy security and world economy as a result of its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas. Spanning 1,648,195 km2 (636,372 sq mi), Iran is the 18th largest country in the world and with a population in excess of 70 million people it is among the larger ones. Tehran is the capital and largest city (35°N41’; 51°E25’). In 2008, the per capita income is estimated to be around $10,000, which is one fifth of the income levels in in Europe and North America.

The Islamic Revolution
Iran is home to one of the world's oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 7000 BC. Persia was unified under the Median kingdom in 625 BC and reestablished under the Safavid dynasty in 1501. “Persia's Constitutional Revolution" established the nation's first parliament in 1906, within a constitutional monarchy. The monarchy was overthrown in the Iranian Revolution and an Islamic republic was proclaimed at 15.00 hrs on 1 April 1979 in Tehran. A Supreme Leader is the highest state authority, while a President is the head of the government. The original Supreme Leader was Ayatollah Khomeini. The present SL is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The horoscope of Iran
The sign Cancer is rising with the most effective point of the ascendant being 23° 42’ Cancer. The 1st lord Moon is exalted at 13° 11’ Taurus and 11th house, where it receives an afflicting aspect from Saturn as 8th lord of obstacles and endings at 14° 43’ Leo and 2nd house. This aspect suggests danger to the self.

The functional malefic planet Rahu at 23° 40’ Leo is conjunct the most effective point (MEP) of the 2nd house of wealth and status and relations with neighbouring countries. From there Rahu also afflicts the 6th house of conflict, 8th house of obstacles and endings and 10th house of the cabinet, foreign trade and presence in the world. This placement suggest manipulation by the authorities will bring a crisis to the above indications. Also, as Rahu exactly afflicts the MEP, problems were there from the birth of the Islamic Republic, with Saddam Hussein, the President of Iraq, ordering an invasion of Iran on September 22, 1980, thereby starting a war that lasted until August 1988.

During the summer and early autumn of 2009, transit Ketu will be stationary at 6° 11' Cancer, where it is closely conjunct natal 6th lord Jupiter at 5° 30' Cancer and 1st house. At that time, a sudden violent event would be likely.

The placement of the 2nd lord Sun in Pisces and the 9th house, suggests a state that has strong religious foundation. With the 10th lord Mars and 3rd lord Mercury conjunct in the 9th house, but in infancy where they become weak and afflicted through an aspect from Jupiter as the 6th lord of controversy and conflict in Cancer and the 1st house, the initiatives and expression in the world are liable to create controversy or conflict, even if they have a religious basis.

The 8th lord Saturn also afflicts Venus as 4th lord of land and natural resources, which is placed at 10° 22' Aquarius and thus in the 8th house of obstacles. Adding to the strain of this placment is Ketu being at 23° 40' Aquriaus and thus exactly conjunct and afflicting the MEP of the 8th house, making the energy suggesting loss of life through sudden violent events more pernicious. Indeed, this configuration involving Venus and the 8th house shows the frequent and harmful major earthquakes that have struck the country.

On SAMVA list on April 18, 2009, astrologer & author V.K. Choudhry, said that "[the problems ahead would be] more than tension and outright hostility is seen. Iran is in the sub period of the Moon in the main period of Rahu. Rahu is on the MEP of the house while the Moon is under the close aspect of the MMP. Rahu will not allow Iran government to make efforts to settle the matter for avoiding outright hostility[3]."

President Ahmadinejad
On August 6, 2005, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became President of the Republic. Since assuming office, Ahmadinejad has injected himself into the Israel - Palestine conflict and made many statements that have been disturbing to Israel and its western allies, including predicting the destruction of Israel. President Ahmadinejad has maintained the Iranian nuclear development program only has ambitions to develop a civilian or non-weapons related nuclear capacity in order to "conserve the country's [abundant] oil and gas reserves", but there is scepticism about this claim. "The USA and many of its allies have deep suspicions about the potential military aspects of the program".[4]

The horoscope of Ahmadinejad
Based on a 10° Cancer rising chart tentatively rectified for Ahmadinejad, we can predict that he is likely to come under signficant strain this summer. In particular, there is a natal placement of Rahu at 5° 58' Scorpio conjunct Saturn at 8° 38' Scorpio, whch suggests major obstacles. Moreover, as the chart is currently running the Rahu-Saturn period, this energy in the chart is active and this summer it will be activated by difficult aspects of the transit nodes.

In particular, a few weeks from now, this natal combination will come under strain from the transit nodes, while transit stationary 8th lord Saturn in the 2nd house afflicts his 10th lord Mars in the 8th house. The tension regarding these aspects are seen from the present time, when the transit nodes move past 9° 38' Capricorn and Cancer, and into the Autumn of 2009. The greatest tension associated with the nodal station of Rahu in his 7th and Ketu in his 1st houses, which are closely afflicting his natal nodes in the 5th and 11th house, is from July 6 to August 24. At that time, the transit nodes will be stationary at 6° 11' Capricorn and Cancer. In particular we can also note that in addition to the mutual affliction of transit and natal nodes, natal Saturn as 8th lord is closely afflicting transit Rahu this summer, more so in the month of May. As this is a tentative chart for Ahmadinejad, the prediction of a significant event in coming weeks or months is offered as a test of this chart for him.

Source
[1] Iran could produce first nuke in 60 days (April 21, 2009)
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=6035
[2] Information about Iran
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran
[3] Message #17077 on SAMVA list on April 18, 2009
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SAMVA/message/17077
[4] CNN : Iran could have enough material for nuke in months
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/07/iran.nuclear/index.html