US: Iran's Decision to Resume Uranium Enrichment is for Nuclear Weapons Production - 2004-06-28

The United States has condemned Iran's decision to resume the construction of machinery used for enriching uranium, stating that this process could be used to create nuclear materials for weapons. According to Michael Bowman, a Voice of America reporter from Washington, Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, said that Iran's decision to resume the construction of centrifuge equipment can only increase international concerns regarding its nuclear program. McClellan, speaking to reporters on the way to the NATO summit in Turkey, stated that Iran's non-compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its failure to halt all uranium enrichment activities strengthen US concerns. The Bush administration is worried that Iran's nuclear ambitions extend beyond peaceful energy purposes. Condoleezza Rice, the National Security Advisor under Bush, stated on the Fox News Sunday program that 'we have always been sure that the Iranians are trying to acquire military capabilities and the tools for these weapons, perhaps even nuclear weapons, and that is why we have taken the lead in working with the IAEA and collaborating with the Europeans to ensure that the Islamic Republic understands that ultimately they have two paths ahead of them. One is cooperation, the other is facing international isolation.' Rice added that Iran's actions demonstrate why in 2002 President Bush labeled the Iranian government as part of an axis of evil, which also included Saddam Hussein's Iraq and North Korea. Iran has noted that the construction of centrifuges does not necessarily mean uranium enrichment. Iran's decision to restart the centrifuge construction process followed last week's IAEA resolution expressing regret over Iran's lack of full cooperation with the agency's inspectors. Iran has long insisted that its nuclear program is not for military purposes. However, Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the IAEA, stated that international trust in Iran's assurances has been lost. ElBaradei, speaking to reporters in Moscow, expressed hope that Iran would reverse its decision regarding the production of centrifuges.