Iran can develop nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON – The United States on Monday stepped up pressure on the world community to deal with Iran’s nuclear activities, saying Tehran had the capability to develop a bomb and its delivery systems.

Robert Joseph, undersecretary of state for arms control, said Tehran had to be dissuaded by “whatever means are necessary” from acquiring nuclear arms, but added the West was “giving every chance for diplomacy to work.” Speaking two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) voted to report Tehran to the UN Security Council for its nuclear work, Joseph gave a worrying assessment of Iran’s nuclear progress.”I would say that Iran does have the capability to develop nuclear weapons and the delivery means for those weapons,” Joseph told a news conference at the Foreign Press Center here.He went a step further than President George W.Bush, who said in a statement hailing the IAEA action Saturday that Iran was “continuing to develop the capability to build nuclear weapons.”US officials have said Iran was at least five years away from a nuclear bomb.Joseph made no prediction on the timetable but said the Islamic Republic had the money and sophisticated scientific personnel to complete the work.”Iran is already receiving outside help,” he said, citing the latest IAEA report suggesting the Iranians were making headway on the conversion and “weaponisation” of uranium.After more than two years of efforts by Washington’s European allies to coax Tehran away from any nuclear weapons aspirations, Joseph said the West must work to delay the Iranian programme and halt it.The United States has been pressing for UN action against the Iranians for years, but has been opposed by countries such as Russia and China, two major allies and trading partners of Tehran.Although Washington finally succeeded in bringing Iran before the United Nations, prospects for eventual sanctions remained clouded by the opposition of Moscow and Beijing, which hold vetoes in the Security Council.- Nampa-AFPSpeaking two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) voted to report Tehran to the UN Security Council for its nuclear work, Joseph gave a worrying assessment of Iran’s nuclear progress.”I would say that Iran does have the capability to develop nuclear weapons and the delivery means for those weapons,” Joseph told a news conference at the Foreign Press Center here.He went a step further than President George W.Bush, who said in a statement hailing the IAEA action Saturday that Iran was “continuing to develop the capability to build nuclear weapons.”US officials have said Iran was at least five years away from a nuclear bomb.Joseph made no prediction on the timetable but said the Islamic Republic had the money and sophisticated scientific personnel to complete the work.”Iran is already receiving outside help,” he said, citing the latest IAEA report suggesting the Iranians were making headway on the conversion and “weaponisation” of uranium.After more than two years of efforts by Washington’s European allies to coax Tehran away from any nuclear weapons aspirations, Joseph said the West must work to delay the Iranian programme and halt it.The United States has been pressing for UN action against the Iranians for years, but has been opposed by countries such as Russia and China, two major allies and trading partners of Tehran.Although Washington finally succeeded in bringing Iran before the United Nations, prospects for eventual sanctions remained clouded by the opposition of Moscow and Beijing, which hold vetoes in the Security Council.- Nampa-AFP